Look around, and you'll discover an exciting mix of people at SODC, Jewish and non-Jewish, sporting an array of cultural and religious backgrounds, yet worshiping in perfect unity.

Distinctively Jewish.  Why?  Certainly not because Jewish is "better."  The reason is simply this: Our scriptures, our salvation, and even our Messiah stem from roots which are distinctively Jewish, and we cherish that heritage!

The Messianic promise and its fulfillment has always been the hope of Israel.  Two thousand years ago a child was born in Bethlehem.  This was the very place where the Jewish prophet Micah, 500 years before, had foretold the birthplace of Messiah.

When the child became a man, multitudes of Jewish people recognized this one named Yeshua (Jesus) as the promised Messiah.

In fact for the first ten years, all of his followers were Jewish.  They understood that the Messiah would inaugurate the New Covenant between God and Israel as prophesied by Jeremiah.

"Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt...."  (Jeremiah 31:31, 32)

Another aspect of this promise was that God would bring Gentiles into this covenant with Israel.

"...And I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!'  And they will say, 'Thou art My God!' " (Hosea 2:23b)

God loves the Jewish people with an everlasting love, and through the Messiah, God has demonstrated His love for the Gentiles as well. 

"For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall...." (Ephesians 2:14)

Last updated: April 25, 2008