Just a Black Sheep Trying to Hang in There

Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. -Romans 15:2-6

For this coming week, along with the traditional readings from the Torah and the Prophets, I'm reading Romans 15 and 16 which is the conclusion of Paul's missive to the Jewish and Gentile believers in ancient Rome. As we see in the passage I just quoted, Paul is encouraging his audience to put aside their desires to please themselves and to instead, to join together "with one heart and mouth" to give glory to God, even as Messiah Yeshua did, acting as our example.

Particularly in Romans 15, Paul draws a strong connection between his service to the Jewish people and teaching the Gentiles to obey the lessons of God. In fact, the word "obedience" seems to come up a lot in this context.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy... -Romans 15:7-9

Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done - by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. -Romans 15:17-19

I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. -Romans 16:17-19

Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him - to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen. -Romans 16:25-27

I've summarized my thoughts about what the Gentiles are supposed to obey in a previous blog post, and these conclusions shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone who is familiar to what Yeshua (Jesus) taught in the Gospels. There's no emphasis teaching Gentiles to try to look and act like Jews, but there's a tremendous emphasis in teaching Gentiles the morality imparted in the Torah of God; how to love God and how to love other people.

Paul quotes 2 Samuel 22:50, Psalm 18:49, Deuteronomy 32:43, Psalm 117:1, and Isaiah 11:10 in order to establish and emphasize that the Gentiles are just as welcome in the community of God as the Jewish people:

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written:
"Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing hymns to your name." Again, it says,
"Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." And again,
"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and sing praises to him, all you peoples." And again, Isaiah says,
"The Root of Jesse will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
the Gentiles will hope in him." -Romans 15:7-12

In reviewing the state of Jewish and Gentile relations in the Messianic community today, it seems that either we have forgotten what Paul was trying to teach here or perhaps, the lesson was never actually implemented between Jewish and Gentile disciples in the Messianic community of the ancient world.

Paul made a specific point that if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings (Romans 15:27) and I think we see much of the traditional Christian church providing such support these days. If Gentile Messianics are serious about being co-heirs with Israel, then we must continue to provide that support, not because we are told we owe it to them by our Jewish counterparts, but because, as part of our "Torah" obedience, we are lining up our wills and our hearts with the desires of God and the choseness of the Jewish people.

We don't have to be estranged or divided if both types of sheep in the Messianic sheep pen are listening to the voice of the one shepherd as part of the one flock (John 10:16). If we concentrate on our differences and let the walls between us define our relationship, we will always be separate and apart from one another. Is that what "one flock and one shepherd means?

Signed, one lone black sheep in the flock, just trying to hang in there.