What's the big deal with Israel?

Hey Beloved…
Most of us prefer to keep our focus on the important things in life—specifically our personal lives. Family. Friends. Love relationships. Daily needs and provisions. Career. Education. Dogs. Cats. Hobbies. For most of us, news coming from the other side of the planet may spark a moment of curiosity and interest. It could even spur a bit of anger from our desire for human justice. But then the news settles back down into the category of simply annoying. No one is listening to the opinions we shout at the TV anyway, so we figure we’re better off leaving it in the background and going about our daily lives. But what if the news was about your family? Jump in with our Deeper Thoughts below…you might want to know about what’s happening…


But first… a few important updates:


·      Two passings; two memorials: This week, Mt. Hope lost two beloved members of our church in unrelated passings. Services for both will be held on Saturday. All are welcome to both services.


o   Friday last week, Denny McAneny passed into the arms of Jesus after an extended battle with kidney disease and other complications. The church surrounded him in his final weeks with much love, presence, prayer, and encouragement. His family was by his side as he peacefully joined the Bride of Christ in heaven. A memorial service for Denny will be held THIS Saturday, June 22, at 3:30 p.m. at the church.


o   Tuesday this week, Peggy Heavey--a relative newcomer to Mt. Hope—passed away unexpectedly from complications related to an injury. Peggy was a somewhat less frequent attendee with her many commitments to family and other activities, but she loved our church and was thriving in her faith with us. A memorial service will be held also THIS Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at the church.


·      YOUTH GROUP!! To accommodate family schedules during the summer months, we’re changing up our game on when the youth meet for connection, fun, and the power of God’s Word! Starting THIS Sunday, youth (Grades 6-12) will meet from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. following our main service (this week uniquely will end at 1:00). Lunch is included for the teens; our youth leaders can also help with transportation so parents don’t have to wait around. But RSVP is super important so we can have food and transportation all figured out. Click here to email Chris Bowen to let us know who’s coming!!


·      Ladies: Join us NEXT Saturday, June 29 for a unique ladies’ service project to help our beloved Carol Treachler with her move out west! Click here to email Tracey Schlitzer for details and to be involved!


OK…that’s it today for you email skimmers and those who get twitchy about being in a family.  BUT…
 
 
Some Deeper Thoughts…


Did you see your family in the news this week?


No?


Are you sure? Maybe take a second glance?


The news coming from the Middle East is a bit complicated these days. Who is right? Who is wrong? What is good? What is evil? What is justified warfare? What is too far? While I am sure we each have our own strong opinions, the raging conflict betrays that many in the world hold profoundly opposite views to ours.


Add to it the surge of passionate and sometimes volatile American reaction—from college protests calling for Palestinian freedom; to fervent support of Israel’s right to defend itself; to impassioned questions about whether that right should extend to the invasion of this city or that; to zealous disagreements on what America’s role should be in guiding, supporting, resourcing, or challenging Israel, Hamas, and everyone involved.


As a pastor and teacher of God’s Word, my job is not to solve those important geopolitical questions. Others far more educated and talented in those lanes have much to say, and I would encourage you to spend some time exploring these complicated issues from biblically-minded commentators before you yell at the TV again.


But I do have an extremely important job with you. It is to unpack God’s revelation about you and me and all of us from His Word.


And like it or not, according to God’s Word, Israel is our family.


“But Chris, I don’t like what Israel is doing with… [insert precarious geopolitical item here].” Well, I’m not too keen on what my uncle [insert name here] did with [insert awkward family moment here] either, but that doesn’t mean he’s not family.


Family is rooted in a covenant. Once a covenant is made, it is irreversible. God made a covenant with a family and named them “Israel” (you can read all about it in Genesis 12-50). Regardless of how they behaved--and trust me, they misbehaved A LOT—they were (and are) still family. Romans 11:29 on this precise subject: “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”


This family covenant will never end.


That should make us feel good. If God cannot and will not revoke His covenant with His wildly dysfunctional family, then maybe He will stay committed to me too.


Yep. He will. Because you--if you have trusted Jesus as your savior—have become part of this very same outrageously whacked out family called Israel.


Paul in his letter to the Romans again: “…you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree…” (Romans 11:24). Dig around the context of his gardening illustration and you can’t miss it: We Gentiles (non-Jews) were grafted by God into His covenant family Israel.


Maybe it’s more clearly explained in Ephesians 1:5: “…[God] predestined us to be adopted as his sons [daughters] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”


John the Apostle saw it in the indescribable spiritual realms when he called us Israel’s “offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 12:17).


You see, the covenant God made with Israel is an everlasting one, and we who believe in Jesus have been grafted into it. We have been adopted into it. You and I belong to the family of Israel.


“But Chris, isn’t all that Israel stuff in the ‘OLD’ covenant? Don’t we live in the ‘NEW’ covenant?” Of course we do. But a detailed study of Matthew 5:17-18, Romans 9-11, Hebrews 8-10, and 1 Peter 2:4-10 among other New Testament passages will reveal that the New Covenant in Jesus is a fulfillment of the Old, not an abandonment of it. Jesus brings the entire first covenant with Israel into its fullest completion as we Gentiles are adopted by God into His family for the salvation of our souls.


There’s a lot more gritty theology to this than I have space or your attention to address here, but suffice it to say: What’s going on with Israel matters because we are family.


So what? What am I supposed to DO with this?


Well… c’mon out this Sunday as we continue to explore “God’s Game Plan: Beginning, Middle, End – A study in biblical prophecy.” This week, we will delve into Ezekiel’s prophecies about Israel, the coming of the Holy Spirit, our redemption, and how it all points to the inauguration of a new heaven and new earth where sin and death and mourning have no place.


Do some advance reading: dig around Ezekiel 35 and 36 to start. I’ll make sense of the complexities and draw this back to your daily life and what’s most important to you. It’ll be fun, challenging, and intellectually stimulating all at once!!


Can’t wait… see you Sunday!!


Chris Eads
Mt. Hope Pastor
Friend