So I'm doing the switcheroo action. because whether it's 24 or 28 Christians in a church or actually if you take it overseas, hundreds of Egyptian Christians or whether it's 11 Jewish people, the youngest of whom I think was 58 or 59. Two brothers in their 80s, husband and wife in their 80s and It's just horrible. Squirrel Hill is a very Jewish area, obviously, and that's where chosen people used to have a center. We sold it, actually eventually bought by the Hasidic Jews. They own our center. But today we have a thriving messianic congregation about a block and a half from there today. And so, needless to say, this strikes more than home. And who knows? It may not be over. The climate's not so good these days. And Christians are divided all over the place. The country's divided all over the place. And there's just a climate of mistrust, and violence, and division that the Holy Spirit has his hands full just with the Christians, trying to keep us all on the same page. And it's passionate, too. People care deeply about what's happening. And so that's the very reason why there's such division. And so in the midst of all this, you have extremists on both sides. And yesterday, during a Sabbath-Shabbat service, at a very unusual synagogue because they actually have different types of synagogues in the one synagogue. It's a joint synagogue with Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform. So they had various areas in the synagogue where different groups were meeting on Saturday. Then this guy walked in, armed to the teeth, and went from place to place killing people. And all the time as he was doing it, saying horrible things about Jewish people. And of course, now of course, you know, people have reviewed his social media and they've seen some of the extreme statements. And so though he didn't have an arrest record, He obviously, if people knew what he was saying, which some people knew what he was saying, they would have deemed him as a threat. But who knows how far people will go, huh? You never know. We live in a country where we cherish our freedom. And so because we cherish our freedom, We don't want everybody looking over our shoulder at everything we do. But on the other hand, if they don't, then you have people who rise to the occasion and you'll never get these 11 lives back. As a Jewish believer, as a Jewish person, of course, I mean, I'm just heart sick. And as a believer in Jesus, my guess is none of them knew the Lord. And so there's a whole lot more at stake for us, isn't there, than is even seen on the surface. You will never hear on the news, no matter what news outlet you listen to, you will never, probably not even a Christian news outlet, you will not hear about whether or not they were believers and what their eternal state will be. So these are really difficult times. And I thought the best thing I can do this morning is to maybe just share with you and give you a little bit of a biblical perspective about anti-Semitism. And one of the reasons for that is, you know, The old song, nobody knows the trouble I've seen, nobody knows but Jesus. And what's behind that is whenever somebody dies, or whenever somebody gets cancer, or whenever somebody has a heart attack, then those of us who have had similar experiences, or know people who have similar experiences, We then do our best to try and comfort people by sharing how God worked through other people, and we also recommend doctors and medical treatments, though we're not physicians, you know. But I mean, we all do that. And the reason we do is because we care. And because sometimes we're just uncomfortable, you know, when faced with tragedy and hardship. We just don't know how to respond. Which is why, you know, you have pastors who always know the exact right thing to do, you know. I learned that in seminary time. I had a class in how to do everything. We're all in the same boat and we're awkward in these difficult situations. But one of the things that really gets me and it's just me, is that if you listen to a lot of the news reports and a lot of what's going on in television and radio, you almost have a minimization of anti-Semitism Because people are saying, this is an act against all humanity, and this is against everybody in Pittsburgh, and this is against, you know, it was a place of worship, so it goes for everybody's place of worship. And I really hate it when people do that. And because they've minimized the sin of anti-Semitism. It's like when I discover racism, which is always a sin, right? And when I discover racism in certain areas against other peoples, whether they, no matter what they are, and including being anti-Muslim, which is, believe it or not, I hate that. I don't think it's right. How are you going to win people to Jesus when you hate them? They don't go together. Anyway, you say killing Jewish people is very similar to killing other people. Well, the guy who killed him didn't think so. When you look at it from a biblical perspective, anti-Semitism actually is not merely racism. Because anti-Semitism, hatred of the Jewish people, and acting upon that hatred is an affront to God in a way that it's not an affront. It's a different kind of affront than to the rest of humanity. And it's hard for me to smile today. It's hard for me to make a joke, but I'll make a slight one. You know, remember that scene in Fiddler on the Roof where Tevye looks up to heaven, and it's just so poignant. It just takes all of Jewish history and puts it in the right place. And he looks up, and our relationship to God as a people, he looks up to heaven, And this drunk Polish or Ukrainian captain is telling Tevye that they're going to have to remove all the Jews from Anatevka, and they're all going to have to leave and all that. And Tevye looks up to heaven and says, next time, choose somebody else. It makes you smile, but it's so poignant, but it's so true. It's so true. Mark Twain said it. Mark Twain said, the Jews are like everybody else, only more so. But why? Why? Well, it's not because we chose ourselves. And unless you're a replacement theologian on complete steroids, which would go against even the lovely reformed twist of this church, which I understand and know well, since I am one as well. You know, it would, I mean, you have some of the greatest reformed theologians who believed in God's choosing of the Jewish people for a special purpose, and there's a, from Spurgeon to Bonar to the greatest reformed saints of the last 200 years, they were looking forward to that great day when Israel turns to Christ and Christ returns. And so, There's no doubt that the Jewish people are unlike everybody else. And anti-Semitism is an act against God. like no other act. Now, remember, I started off by saying I think racism is always a sin, always. But again, I don't think this is. It can be racism, but it's very different than racism. So open your Bibles to Deuteronomy 7. Let's take a look at this. We'll start at 6. You can't understand what's going on unless you see it through the lens of scripture. Would you agree with me on that? And sometimes we look at things, particularly popular aspects of culture or what's going on in the news, and we don't bring it back to the Bible. Because sometimes the whole idea of a separation between church and state gets into our heads. And we actually think that we need to separate between church and state in our own lives. But that's exactly the wrong thing to do. Because Jesus is Lord of all. And the scripture is true over all. And so we must apply the scripture to all circumstances of life, including politics. Two things you never want to talk about, right? Politics and religion. Well, none of us abide by that probably. But we have a Lord who cares about the polis, about the city, about everything. So for the Lord, for you are a holy people to the Lord your God. Now the word holy, kadosh, means to be separate. It's why some of you get upset with Orthodox or Hasidic Jewish people who don't talk to you. Particularly the men don't talk to the women, and vice versa. It's one of the reasons, you know, Hasidic Jewish people can walk down the street and act like you don't exist. They've taken this too far, admittedly. But there's an understanding, and you see it among the ultra, ultra Orthodox. You see it in their lives. You don't see it every day. But there is this whole understanding that God called us to be separate. That's what it means to be holy. We are separated by God for a holy purpose. He gives us a law to keep, and we should take it seriously. And so we behave differently. So when your Jewish friend who's religious comes to your home for dinner, they bring their own meal. They won't eat on your plates. And there's this understanding of being separate, Even if they might take it a little far, they don't know they do, but they do. It is a biblical idea. In fact, it's a pretty good idea for Christians too. And so you are a holy people, which means you are separated for God's purposes. And the Jewish people understand that they were chosen by God not to be different than the Gentiles, but actually chosen by God to be used by God, even among the Gentiles. But you do that by staying separate. So you are a holy or separate people to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, for his own possession. And that's that unique Hebrew word, segula, which is sometimes translated as peculiar. And that's where the English version of the Bible hasn't helped the Jewish situation. Because then people get the idea that reading about the Jewish people that they're peculiar, which might very well be true. But it's particularized to certain Jews, you know, are peculiar. And so to be a people for his own possession, his own possession, segula, it actually goes back to the Hebrew word for purple, which was made from shellfish, believe it or not. And certain items, particularly in the temple, were dyed. And they became purple, which basically became very valued, which is why this Hebrew word used for possession is translated peculiar at times, but a much better English translation would be treasured. That's really what the word means. So a treasured possession, a possession of great value. So God chose you out of the world. to be a people of great value out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Now, verse 7 explains it a little more. So the Lord did not set his love on you nor choose you because you were the best looking. Oh, that's not in the text. Because you were more in number. Remember, when God chose the Jewish people, they didn't exist. So he didn't choose you because you were more in number than any other peoples, for you were the fewest peoples of all the earth. Now, here it is. And you've got to let this sink in. But because the Lord loved you. Now, it's just the Hebrew word ahav. Hebrew is less picturesque or less precise than Greek. It's more picturesque but less precise. In Greek, you have a number of different words for love. In Hebrew, you basically have one. So if you're going to make an argument for unconditional love or something like that, you're not going to make it in the Hebrew. It doesn't work. So it's just love. But love always involves a choice. And so he did not set his love on you, nor choose you, a very powerful Hebrew word, because you were more in number than any of the peoples, because you were fewer, but because the Lord loved you. And loved is tied to the Hebrew word, bahar, we just use chosen. Loved and chosen are twin sisters. But because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which he swore to your forefathers. So Moses gives five sermons, basically, on the other side of the Jordan before the Jewish people go into the land. And in each one of these sermons, he basically says, when you go in there, we know you're going to blow it. And because of the stipulations of the Mosaic Covenant, when you blow it, you're going to be judged. Famine, disgrace, you're going to be cast out of the land. And all sorts of bad things are going to happen. But particularly if you look at Deuteronomy 4 and also Deuteronomy 28, you will see clearly that even though God says, you're going to go into the land, you're going to blow it, you're going to be judged, you're going to be dispersed. But in all of those passages, he also says, and you will repent, and you will be brought back. And the underlying answer is, why? Because there are two covenants. There's a Mosaic covenant, which is a covenant where if you do this, this happens. If you do that, that happens. And then there's another covenant, a covenant that God made with the forefathers. Moses knew about it. He's talking about it. Moses knew his Bible. I know that's a strange statement. And so Moses is now making reference to the Abrahamic covenant. which is a covenant of love whereby God chose the people to be a people for his purposes. And no matter what the Jewish people ever did, he would still hold on to them because that covenant bond is unbreakable. But that doesn't mean that he's going to continue to bless the Jewish people in disobedience. What it does mean is that God is the one ultimately responsible for helping Israel to meet covenant obligations. That's what it means. So he kept the oath which he swore to your forefathers. The Lord brought you out. by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God, he is God, the faithful God who keeps his covenant and his loving kindness to a thousandth generation with those who love him and keep his commandments, but repays those who hate him to their faces to destroy them. He will not delay with him who hates him, he will repay him. Therefore, Moses is now making the point. Keep the covenant, keep the commandment, keep the statutes and the judgments, which I'm commanding you to do today. So you always have these two covenants like two tracks on a railroad and the Jewish people are the car. And so they're always running on these two tracks. a forever promise, the Abrahamic covenant, where God will ultimately make sure that the Jewish people have what he promised, and the Mosaic covenant, whereby the Jewish people would suffer the consequences of their disobedience and sin. Do you see that? Now, in order to understand all this, you have to go back one step. So go back to Genesis chapter 12, where I could have started, but I didn't want to. because I think it makes more sense. So what was that promise that God made to Abram? So the Lord said to Abram, go forth from your country, from your relatives, from your father's house, to the land which I will show you. If you agree with me or disagree with me, I'm too old to care at this point. It doesn't matter either way. But the land is essential to the fulfillment of God's promises for the Jewish people. I didn't write this. To the land which I will show you, and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, and so you shall be a blessing. Lots of great promises. And I will bless those who bless you. And the one who curses you, I will curse. By the way, that has not particularly been rescinded that I know of. You see there are two uses of the word curse there, right? Well, it's very interesting, those two words for curse. So the first one. is actually a word that can be translated curse, but it really means to make light of. Does anybody have a Bible translation that gets remotely close to that one? Probably not. But that's what the Hebrew root means. So they're two different words for curse. So the first word means to make light of, and the second word is the usual word for curse that's used throughout Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26, were my two least favorite chapters in the Bible, which speak about the curses that will come upon the Jewish people for disobedience. So in the Abrahamic covenant, you sort of have an interesting reversal even before the Mosaic covenants given. where he says, the one who curses you, not even speaking about the Jewish people, he's now speaking about anybody who's not Jewish. Anybody not Jewish here today? Raise your hand. OK, quite a few. And so if you're not Jewish, this applies to you. Fortunately, it does not apply to me at all. So the one who makes light of you, maybe light of God's purposes for you, maybe makes light of your role in the plan of God, maybe makes light of you in one way or another. The one who curses you, makes light of you, I will curse. So in other words, when the Gentiles make light, of the Jewish people, God brings upon the Gentiles the very curses that he's going to bring upon the Jews for disobedience that he outlines in Deuteronomy 28, Leviticus 26. You got that? Listen, those promises and those curses are not even close to as bad as an eternity without Christ. So don't. That's the ultimate. But he put it there. And then he talks about, God talks to Abraham about why the Jewish people are chosen. And this is the most important part of this passage. Why do I curse? Bless those who bless you, and why do I curse people or judge people who make light of you? Well, because in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed, will be blessed. So God chose the Jewish people to bring blessings to the Gentiles. God chose the Jewish people for the sake of the Gentiles. the whole purpose for God choosing the Jewish people so that the Gentiles would be blessed. So the Jewish people are to be a bridge of redemption to the Jewish people. Now, cut to the chase. Two ways that really happens. Number one, through the Bible. So if you have a Bible, and you read it, and it moves you, and it causes you to love God and to serve him, then you're very grateful to the Jewish people because God used the Jewish people to write it. My goal in life is to make sure that Jewish people read it. And so without a doubt, the Jewish people wrote the Old Testament. All of you have that. Well, when I was first considering Jesus many years ago, one of the guys who was witnessing to me handed a Bible to me. And he said, you should read it. The thick part's yours. I did. It made me wanted to read the next part. And then I read the next part, and soon after it got saved. But it took me a long time to realize that the second part was ours too. You notice if you read the New Testament, it's a pretty Jewish book. Jewish people think that it's a Gentile document. I was shocked. I mean, St. Paul didn't seem like a Jewish name to me. But it's a Jewish book. And so without a doubt, and you can look at this in Romans 3 and Romans 9, where Paul begins the list in Romans 3 of blessings that the Jewish people have and give to the Gentiles. In Romans 9, verses 1 through 4 or 5, he continues the list. But if you read those lists, you'll understand. that the covenants, the promises, all found in the word of God have been preserved by the Jewish people. And God used the Jewish people to give all of this as a gift to the Gentiles, for them too, but also for the Gentiles. And so we understand that the word of God, God's revelation from Sinai on and even before, this is one of the greatest blessings that God could ever give to the Gentiles. And then secondly is the most obvious one. It was through the Jewish people that God gave us the Messiah. And so when God says to Abram, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed, All that he's saying is that I will bring my greatest blessings to the Gentiles through you. So I'm choosing you out from among the peoples of the earth for a special purpose, not because there's anything special about you, but because I need somebody. And so I've decided to love you and choose you. And you'll be my special treasure. And here's your job. Your job is to be a bridge of redemption to the Jewish people by bringing them God's light and revelation through all that I speak to you and through your leaders and prophets. And then, one of these days, the most incredible thing is going to happen. I'm going to choose a humble virgin, Isaiah 714. It's right in the Old Testament. I'm going to choose a humble virgin from the tribe of Judah from the house of David. And through this virgin, Alma, the Hebrew word, I'm going to bring about the Messiah, who two chapters later in Isaiah 9, 6, and 7 is described as the one who would sit eternally on the throne of David. And his names would be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And so it's through you that I'm going to bring him. But it doesn't end there. And here's the problem. Another take on the Old Testament would be this. It's the old wearing a sign on your back that says either kick me or kiss me. I'm Irish. There are various things that we do. But the one Jewish people have been wearing on their back is, destroy me. I'm Jewish. Because when God chose Abram, the devil chose the Jews. Don't miss it. And so the unfolding of God's revelation in the Old Testament is the struggle of the Jewish people to be obedient and to endure the suffering that comes from disobedience. But on top of that, there was somebody active all the way through the very incredible statue that you read about in Daniel chapter 1 and 2, representing the great kingdoms of the ancient world. that dominated the Jewish people. And ultimately, if you remember that prophecy, they will all be crushed by the stone cut out without hands. And that's the Messiah. But up until that time, you have to understand that the Jewish people are the subject of Satan's wrath. And as sure as God chose the Jewish people, the devil has chosen the Jewish people to destroy them. And he uses the nations that God also uses to judge the Jewish people. Satan also uses the nations to do what God doesn't intend. God intends discipline. Satan intends total destruction. And it doesn't end with the Gospel of Matthew. Because we understand that the Messiah was not only to come once to die as a substitute for Jews and Gentiles, to die for our sins, and to bring about atonement. But we also understand that the Messiah is coming again to set up his kingdom. And the Jewish people are still the key to that. Because God's not done with the Jews. And so I need you to flip over to Romans 11. And we'll begin at verse 1. So you have to understand that anti-Semitism is not simply racism. It has a cosmic biblical origin, because the devil is seeking to destroy the Jewish people so that what we're just about to read doesn't happen. Remember, the devil tried to stop the first coming, right? In a variety of ways. Killing all the babies, the Jewish babies. I mean, he tried to tempt Jesus out of his ministry. But it continues throughout our entire lifetime. So Romans 11, 1. I say then, Paul writes, God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. May it never be. For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin. So Paul understood that God didn't reject the Jewish people because he was Jewish. I'm here to tell you that God hasn't rejected Jewish people because a few of us are Jewish here today. God hasn't rejected his people whom he foreknew. And then he tells the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel and where Elijah went to war with the false gods of Baal and eventually ended up in the Sinai Desert thinking he was the only one who was faithful to God. God showed Elijah that he was part of a remnant, 7,000 men who had not bowed the knee to Baal. And then Rabbi Saul. like a good evangelical Protestant pastor, or maybe the Protestant pastor's got it from him, draws a universal principle from an Old Testament narrative. You ever hear anybody ever do that? And in verse five, Paul says, in the same way there's come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice. Here's where the King James should really kick in. A remnant according to the election of grace. Now that's beautiful language. So in other words, Paul says, even though it looks like God's rejected the Jewish people because the majority of the Jewish people rejected Jesus at his first coming, I'm here to tell you that God has not rejected his people because he has prior promises, and we have a God who's a promise maker and a promise keeper, and he doesn't, he always keeps his word. He never fails to keep his word. And I am a testimony to God's faithfulness. So it's not that God has totally rejected the Jewish people. I am part of a remnant, just like Elijah was part of a remnant. And in every day, in every age, God preserves a remnant of Jewish people because he's not done with the Jewish people. There's still something for the Jewish people to do. So what is it? Jump to verse 11. I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? You ever wonder what Paul meant by that? In other words, did the sin of rejecting Jesus in the first century kick the Jewish people permanently out of God's plan? So instead of being the chosen people, now the Jewish people are the unchosen people. Is that what happened? Did they stumble so as to fall? That's an heiress, permanent, like a turtle on its back. Did they stumble so as to fall? Did they? Strongest construction of a negative in the Greek language, may it never be. Absolutely not. Let me explain. Paul writes, by their transgression, first century rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leaders, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Mazel tov. So salvation has come to the Gentiles. But then Paul, who is pretty good at Greek, devises a form of the Greek that is a purpose clause, so to translate more accurately, in order to make them jealous. So in other words, salvation has come to the Gentiles. And by the way, it's not just that the Gentiles just get the whole enchilada and run off with the thing. The Gentiles now have a mandate, because remember, let's go back to Genesis 12, Paul's basically saying, let's go back to this. I'll bless those who bless thee, curse those who curse thee. So let's talk about what the Gentiles are going to do for the Jewish people. To bless the Jewish people, one hand washes another. Salvation has come to the Gentiles to make them, the Jewish people, jealous. So who is God going to use to bring the Jewish people to Christ? Well, the Gentiles. Don't ask me how exactly that's gonna happen. We do have Gentiles on our staff though, just so you know. You know, we broaden the chosen language with chosen people ministries. I think the Bible does that, too. So salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Jewish people, you're supposed to make Jewish people jealous of the Jewish Messiah that you love and worship and who walks with you each day. He goes further. He says, if their transgression is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles. So if the Jewish people brought blessing to the Gentiles, which is why the Jewish people were chosen and created, without their active participation. Remember, it took a persecution to get the early apostles moving. So if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure riches for the Gentile, oh boy, how much more will their fulfillment be? Something's coming. It's not done yet. And you thought that all the good things that God was going to do for us have already happened. Sometimes you have to be very careful about your theological language or else someone's going to think you're a bit of a heretic. Because we don't want to say that there's anything left to be done in terms of God making sure that salvation is possible for all, right? So that was done. It is finished. At the cross, fini, right? Does that mean that everything's done? Not really. The cross is the foundation for the future. Without the cross, there'd be no future. But there is a future. And so if their transgression be riches for the world, their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will the fulfillment be? Something's coming. I'm speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I'm an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry. If somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them, However, I do realize that as the apostle to the Gentiles, listen to this one, as the apostle to the Gentiles, I've been called to lead the Gentiles to Christ so that the Gentiles could lead the Jews to Christ so that the Jewish people can then turn and Jesus can come back. You can't make this stuff up. Verse 15, just in case we forgot what he said in verse 12. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance, the Jewish people's acceptance by Jesus, or the Jewish people's acceptance of Jesus, or both? What will their acceptance be but life from the dead, which was a very popular topic among the Puritans? Speaking about this day. But what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? And then I'm going to skip over the olive tree illustration, because it will take definitely too long. But I highly recommend that you read it. But then he goes on in verse 25, and Paul says, I don't want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery so that you will not be wise in your own estimation that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, or else I wouldn't be here. Partial hardening has happened to Israel until, this is interesting, the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. I don't know why I'm never asked to preach at a missions conference for Gentiles, because I could preach it. Because I firmly believe that the Gentile missions is on the clock. There's an urgency to Gentile missions that most people miss. Paul spells it out here. And that's because they ignore the future Jewish part. If you ignore the future Jewish part, then you don't have the same urgency to the Gentile part. Something's coming that will involve the Jewish people. But now we're waiting for the fullness of the Gentiles to come in. And then what will happen? And then so all Israel will be saved. And then he goes on and quotes from the Old Testament and Jeremiah 31 and so on. This is my covenant when I take away their sins. But can I keep reading just a couple more verses? From the standpoint of the gospel, they're enemies for your sake, because they were persecuting the church. By the way, the church Paul was persecuting, just so you understand, was Jewish. Most people miss that one. They're enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's election, God's choice, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. Now, what in the world does he mean? What he means, it's a direct reference to the Abrahamic covenant. So Paul is saying that even though the Jewish people didn't do real well keeping the Mosaic law, even though the Jewish people were judged, that the Jewish people will come back because God has a purpose and plan for the Jewish people. Because of a prior covenant that was made with Abram in Galatians. He argues it in Galatians. And so they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. Which fathers? Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. It's the Abrahamic covenant. God will be faithful to the Jewish people. He will keep his promises to the Jewish people involving the land, involving the perpetuity of the Jewish people. involving a relationship with God and the fulfillment of their calling, which is to make Gentiles jealous, bring blessing to the Gentiles. Why? Here it is. It's all summarized in just a little, little bitty verse. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. That's the heart of it. God could no more reject his covenant with the Jewish people than he could reject you if you've come to know Jesus Christ as your Savior. He can no more not fulfill his promises by coming again than the way he did when he came the first time. Because God always, always, always keeps his promises. And so where's the devil in all of this? Well, the devil's continuing to do what the devil does. The devil's trying to keep this from happening. If he can destroy the Jewish people, that'd be great. Now, one of the tools the devil has used is church history, if you look back. Because the very people who are supposed to tell the Jewish people about Jesus have a bad rap. because our predecessors in the church treated the Jewish people so negatively. And so Jewish people have a bad impression of Christianity and a bad impression of Jesus. And so the devil was quite successful with that strategy. He still will fail, but he was successful. Now, how do we counter the devil's strategy? And this is what I want to leave you with. Well, obviously through prayer, because prayer is our way of making things happen that men and women can't make happen. Prayer. Secondly, through a testimony of love. Is that synagogue down the street still alive and active? Listen. This is a time where, you know, I think Netanyahu said it the best. He said, when Jews are killed in Pittsburgh, all of Israel suffers. And it's true. It's true. Every one of my relatives, I mean, none of us are unaffected deeply by this. And this is the time, and I already know that many, many churches are praying for the families and praying for the Jewish people. And this is a time when you can show your love for the God of Israel and the people of Israel, and it could be powerful. And so I hope that you'll figure out a way to make your love known to the synagogue down the street, because sometimes we have to go with symbols. And the Jewish community, the lightning rod for the community in Port Jervis is probably right down the block. And so as Christians, you need to let the Jewish community know that you love them and care about them, because you're supposed to make the Jewish people jealous. Hey, it worked on me. So prayer and love are essential at this time. There's a third point, which I think I can get away with here, not every church, and that's activism. I know you're active in a lot of important moral and ethical issues, and you should be. I think Christians are oftentimes way too inactive. But there's an activity that you could do. And that is whenever you see anti-Semitism, Online, where there's a lot of it, or anywhere else, speak up. And let them know you're speaking up because you love a Jewish Messiah. Speak up. Say something. Be active. And that's a great way of showing your stand for Christ and your love for the Jewish people. So pray, love, and show your love, and do something. Ask God what you can do. OK? Listen, the worst thing you could ever do to the devil is ruin his plan by loving the Jewish people rather than doing what he's trying to get everybody to do. to hate the Jewish people. Do I think that Satan was happy with what happened in Pittsburgh? I would say so. Was it mere racism? Was it somebody just got upset because of his threat to his conservative values? I don't think so. The act in Pittsburgh was from the pit of hell. And as Christians, we need to see that. We need to look at life through the lens of the Bible. Well, let's pray. Lord, we love you. We thank you for the opportunity to look at life through your word. Thank you that you didn't leave us wandering around the dark. But Lord, you've revealed yourself. You've revealed your plan. You've spoken to very, very particular issues in our life and in the life of the church. And Lord, I thank you for that. I thank you just for my own soul this morning, Lord, that I have a way of understanding what happened. Lord, it doesn't make me any less sad, but it does help me not be as confused. And so, Lord, I just pray for those families, and I pray, Lord, that you would raise up my brothers and sisters to be your hands and feet and your voice, especially during this next week when emotions will be so raw. Lord, I pray that you would give each one a way to show their love for the Jewish people. In Jesus' name, amen.