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LCJE Bulletin Issue 130, November-December 2017

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LCJE Bulletin Issue 130, November-December 2017 LCJE Bulletin Issue 130, November-December 2017 ”Jewish Evangelism in East Asia” Conference The Cartwright Petition The Balfour Declaration - 100 years Networking Jewish Evangelism LCJELausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism From the Coordinator ”O come, o come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel” U.S. Recognition of Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel; the 100th Anniversary of the Balfour Declaration; General Allenby The November-December timeframe for this issue has also witnessed LCJE Bulletin several momentous events and anniversaries: President Trump’s Decem- Issue No. 130 ber 6th recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, which delighted most November-December 2017 American evangelicals but created a political firestorm in much of the rest of the world; the hundredth anniversary of the signing of the Balfour © Lausanne Consultation on Declaration on November 2nd (see pp. 6-7 of this issue); and, finally, Jewish Evangelism the hundredth anniversary of General Allenby’s ‘re-capture’ of Jerusalem Editor: Jim Melnick from the Ottoman Turks on December 11, 1917. Next year, of course, will Address: LCJE be the 70th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, and we will P.O. Box 5501 be monitoring the impact of that all of these events and anniversaries on Falmouth, VA 22403 USA the state of Jewish evangelism in our world today. Printed by: Wave Printing & The LCJE East Asia Conference in Japan Graphics, Fredericksburg, VA The November 2017 LCJE Conference, “Jewish Evangelism in East Asia: USA Looking for Opportunities, Making Connections,” hosted by LCJE Japan (with LCJE Korea and the Lausanne Japan Committee as supporting or- Individual membership US $25 ganizations), was an amazing time of fellowship, reports and networking, annually; subscription US $15 with attendees from some 13 countries gathered together for the cause payable to ‘LCJE’ of Jewish evangelism. I wish I could have bottled up the spirit of unity Payment: By check or bank and enthusiasm at this conference and share it with all of you! Let me wire transfer; see www.LCJE.net simply say that the Lord is at work in Asia in the area of Jewish evange- lism in sometimes stunning ways, and I trust that LCJE members around the world will be encouraged to learn about the exciting new ministries CONTENTS developing in Asia today. Many thanks to LCJE Japan Area Coordinator Charles Klingensmith and his wonderful team and support staff for put- 2 From the Coordinator ting together a very professional and worthwhile conference and for the 3 Devotional: Experiencing continued building of bridges between East and West. God’s Life-transforming Grace in Ministry The Cartwright Petition of 1648/1649 4 LCJE Prayer Calendar One never knows where an LCJE conference might lead! The LCJE North (AustralAsia) America conference in Denver this past year (with its panel discussions 5 News & Views: Jerusalem on Gerald McDermott’s book on The New Christian Zionism) led me on an & Turkey; Alliance for the historical ‘treasure hunt’ to another book, More Desired than our owne Peace of Jerusalem and Salvation, which eventually led to the ‘re-discovery,’ if you will, of the new poll of evangelicals; Cartwright Petition, which has lain in relative obscurity in a library in San Barna study strikes nerve Francisco for some time. With this article, I hope that its significance will 6 The Balfour Declaration: not go unnoticed by those who care about our history. A 100-Year Celebration 8 The Cartwright Petition Prayer and Devotional of 1648/1649 Prayer is vital to our lives as believers. We need more of it in LCJE! 10 LCJE Academic Corner: LCJE AustralAsia has led the way with its monthly prayer calendar and fo- Jeong Jacob Lee cus on prayer at conferences. I hope their example will inspire more ‘LCJE 11 At the Gravesite of Samuel prayer’ around the world! Finally, Pastor Dan Strull starts us off in this is- Schereschewsky in Tokyo sue with a wonderful devotional on Isaiah and experiencing God’s grace. 12 LCJE Japan: “Jewish Evangelism in East Asia” In our sure hope for the coming salvation of Israel. Jim Melnick 17 House of Messiah - Japan Isaiah 45:17: “Israel shall be saved by an everlasting salvation...” 20 Strategic planning follow-up; [email protected] New Caspari Center course 21 LCJE North America Front cover photos: The top photo is of the assembled attendees to the LCJE Conference - Atlanta Japan-sponsored Conference, “Jewish Evangelism in East Asia: Looking for Oppor- tunities, Making Connections,” held at Wakayama Lutheran Church in Wakayama 22 Upcoming Meetings; City, Japan from 13-15 November 2017, with follow-on forums held in Osaka and LCJE Facebook & Twitter Tokyo on 16 and 18 November, respectively. The photos underneath are of the 23 On the Derekh; Caspari Cartwright Petition of 1648/1649 (left) and of Prime Minister Arthur Balfour (right), Media Review ads signer of the Balfour Declaration (signed on November 2, 1917). 2 Experiencing God’s Life-transforming Grace in Ministry By Dan Strull, Senior Pastor, Olive Tree Congregation (Prospect Heights, Illinois, USA); Board Member, Life in Messiah Hard soil (cf. Lev. 26:27-33) at the hands of Several months ago a brother in the Assyrians and other agents of Jewish ministry invited me out to God. Had God stopped here there lunch because he wanted to pick would be little to sustain Isaiah in my brain about outreach. During His ministry. So, with a few precise lunch he confessed, “I thought strokes, on the background of cov- Jewish ministry was tough, but I enant failure God paints a glowing had no idea it would be this hard! image of His grace toward others. Only two people come to faith in “The holy seed” survives because the last year.” I burst out laugh- it is nourished by God’s uncondi- ing and said, “You saw two Jew- Dan Strull tional promise, not Israel’s cov- ish people come to faith last year? enant obedience. Isaiah can rest That’s fantastic!” It is a “show and tell” of God’s per- assured—ultimately Israel will be All of us in Jewish ministry can fect holiness. saved. relate to our brother’s consterna- Upon seeing and hearing of God’s God knows this type of high tion at how incredibly hard the soil holiness, Isaiah realizes his own output, low-yield ministry to His can be. We know the exasperation defilement. He immediately con- people can really mess with our of sowing for years and seeing fesses and laments his own and Is- heads. It tempts us to quit and few precious souls find life in Mes- rael’s sin, acknowledging his ruin, find an easier line of work. It turns siah and the hostility engendered separated from the source of life us into experts at training others to by just mentioning Yeshua. These (Isa. 6:5). Yet, this fear is not the do what we now avoid. It woos us chronic frustrations wear on our final lesson for Isaiah. With the into muting our words, misbeliev- sense of calling and our will to per- heaven-initiated touch of a coal ing that a volume of our works is severe. But, we are not alone. Isa- from the altar (Isa. 6:6-7) God the secret to saving souls. It en- iah, the prince of prophets, shared provides the atonement for which tices us to offer Yeshua as a ser- our struggle. Isaiah is desperate. Isaiah learns a vant of personal fulfillment, rather deeply personal lesson in God’s pu- than as our Master to be loved and Isaiah and God’s grace rifying grace, by which fear of ruin served. Fortunately, Isaiah’s vision In Isaiah 6, God calls His prophet is forever replaced by the joy of full and calling remind us that God to a frustrating ministry among his atonement. has not left us defenseless against Jewish people. Despite Isaiah’s Now that Isaiah had experienced these threats. But, only if we learn faithful preaching, Judah, Jerusa- God’s grace personally he was from Isaiah’s experience. lem and their leaders would persist ready to learn of God’s grace for in rebellion, ultimately suffering others. Isaiah 6:9-10 summarizes Reminding ourselves of these God’s judgment through the Syr- Isaiah’s ministry to Israel and its lessons ians, Assyrians, and later the Bab- effect. The irony is tragic—calling Like Isaiah, we have been called ylonians. So, God prepared Isaiah God’s people to repentance and and prepared for high output, low- for this high labor, low-yield minis- faith would have the opposite ef- yield ministry to the Jewish people. try with a life-transforming experi- fect. Rather than turning back to In coming to Yeshua, each of us ence of His grace. God to be healed nationally (cf has personally experienced God’s Isaiah first experiences God’s v.10b), they would be hardened life-transforming grace. And God grace personally (Isa 6:1b-5). In in their rebellion and experience has shown us the certainty of the the ancient near East, all kings God’s righteous judgment. grace He will ultimately show Is- were considered “holy,” separate Grieved by this sad ministry, rael. We must remind ourselves from those they ruled, no matter Isaiah pleads, “Lord, how long?” and each other of these lessons, how morally corrupt they were. (v.11a). God responds by paint- especially in our hard soil, small In verses 1b-4 Isaiah glimpses ing a dramatic picture of Israel’s fruit calling. When we do, no mat- his King’s unique, absolute moral future. In verses 11b and 12 God ter how hard the soil or small the holiness.
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