We, the Church, owe a great debt of love to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. For it was out of their seed that the world gained the Messiah, Jesus Christ. "Neither is there salvation in any under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

We recognize Jesus Christ as the Jewish Messiah who came to save His own first. Though Israel as a nation and a people rejected Him, there was still a Jewish remnant that did accept Him as their Lord and Savior. They became the first Christian Church. Even though Israel was like a branch broken off the olive tree, God has never stopped loving them nor taken them out of His eternal plan. Because of their unbelief, we- by the mercy of God- were engrafted into the olive tree and given a place in Father God's heart.

The plan of the Father, enacted through His Son, is so aptly described in Ephesians 2:14,15: "For He is our peace, Who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in itself ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain (two) one new man, so making peace."

Such is the heart of the Father for the Jew and the Gentile; that through Jesus Christ the two be transformed into "One New Man".

For further information and instruction on this subject, please attend our monthly workshops entitled "Israel & the Church", held on the 4th Saturday of each month at 2 PM in our Zoe Room, located in the church building at 80 W. Merrick Rd., Freeport. These workshops are conducted by Pastor Patti McCaskey, who is very well versed on the subject. Come out; you'll be blessed.