December, 2007

Dear Friend,

During a recent trip to Israel I spent some time with a wonderful young Jewish believer named Eli who has only known the Lord for about five years. He is a guide licensed by the Ministry of Tourism and we were discussing various itinerary formats for Americans visiting Israel. Knowing that Bethlehem is one of the places most requested as a site to visit, but also is a place where Arab-Israeli tensions have peaked and where anti-American sentiment has been manifested, I asked Eli about including the birthplace of Jesus as part of a tour. His response was: “It’s difficult to go there, but it can be done,” (indicating that it would necessitate using an Arab driver and coordinating with an Arab guide).

I was struck by those words and the thought behind the words: “Bethlehem--It’s difficult to go there, but it can be done.”

Certainly those words describe--albeit as an extreme understatement--the incarnation in which the eternal Son of God became flesh through the experience of human birth. The prophet Micah predicted, over seven hundred years earlier, that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). For Him, what a loving sacrifice; what an act of merciful humiliation!

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and, being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)

“Bethlehem--It’s difficult to go there, but it can be done.”

Those words also describe the experience of Jewish believers, just like Eli. In fact, Eli came to believe in Jesus as His Messiah after years of denying the very existence of God. Through a series of circumstances and the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit in his heart, Eli came to believe not only in the existence of God, but that the One born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago is the Jewish Messiah and Savior of the World. The result has been significant ostracism and exclusion by family and friends.

“Bethlehem--It’s difficult to go there, but it can be done.”

Those words describe the very purpose of Hebrew Christian Fellowship: To lovingly and sensitively present the Gospel of Messiah Jesus (the One born in Bethlehem) to Jewish people and to urge them to receive Him and acknowledge Him as their personal Savior.

“Bethlehem--It’s difficult to go there, but it can be done.”

Sincerely in Messiah Jesus,

Rev. Roger L. Wambold,
General Director