40 Days Inside God's Heart: Immanuel ("God is with us") in Tel Aviv

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let Israel say: "His love endures forever." Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever." Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever." ~Psalm 118: 1-4

On Saturday, I visited Beit Immanuel (Immanuel House), a Messianic congregation and guesthouse in Tel Aviv located only a five-minute walk away from Florentine Hostel, the place I am staying this week. The picture above is taken from the hostel's rooftop terrace, the steeple of Immanuel Church rises conspicuously, rather gloriously I think, against a backdrop of low-rise offices, residences, and warehouses. The church and the house nestle pleasantly in the American-German Colony, a residential neighborhood founded in the 19th century by the "American Protestant, Christian Restorationism movement, led by George J. Adams and Abraham McKenzie." The neighborhood is located in Jaffa, a mostly poor and underdeveloped neighborhood that is otherwise a popular tourist spot for its association to biblical stories of Solomon, Jonah, and Peter. Nearby, the Florentine District resembles much of Jaffa, and is mostly occupied by young students, long-term residents, and foreign workers. So the Immanuel complex serves a rather unique blend of demographics: local and tourist, young and old, trendy and poor. More importantly, the Immanuel's provide a necessary sanctuary for a neighborhood constant with clanging machinery and blaring horns from impatient cars.

Immanuel House and Immanuel Church hold separate services on Saturday. I decided to attend the service in the guest house, conducted by Adonai Roi Congregation's Pastor Avi Mizrachi, who is also the Executive Director of Dugit Messianic Outreach Center in Tel Aviv, a place I'd like to visit later this week. When I entered Beit Immanuel at around 11 a.m., the worship team was practicing and people were trickling in. Pastor Avi went around greeting newcomers. I can't fathom exactly the rush of emotions that flooded me at the moment I walked in the door, being greeted by the sounds of worship and praise in the gospel's ancient tongue. The least I can say is that my spirit soared in having found a home away from home. The congregation was made up of mostly Israelites, and some members and visitors were from abroad (Finland, China, Hong Kong, US, etc.). Praise the Lord that the service had simultaneous English translation, though I wouldn't have minded basking in the beauty of a Hebrew service without understanding the message :P I especially loved the worship in Hebrew. I followed along and tried singing in Hebrew, ah how I love the language! I think the guttural sounds really bring out emotions in worship!

Pastor Avi taught on 1 Corinthians 5, about discipline in the congregation and not tolerating people that sin (i.e. sexual immorality, dishonesty) and that refuse to repent. Paul outlined the process that elders in the congregation should take when they find out someone sinned: first by confrontation, then if that doesn't work, take two or three witnesses with them to face the person; if that still doesn't work, then tell the entire congregation. Lastly, if the person still refuses to repent and correct his ways, he would have to leave the congregation. Pastor Avi spoke about an important thing, that the essence of the process is rooted in the hope of leading the sinner to repentance because repentance brings about forgiveness from God, which results in personal transformation and the bearing of righteous fruits. My favorite part of the sermon was when we took a look at how Jesus dealt with sin in John 8: 1-8, where a woman caught in the act of adultery was brought before Jesus by the teachers of the law and Pharisees. They wanted to see how Jesus would respond, since in the Mosaic Law adultery was liable to being stoned to death:

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8: 6-11)

When Jesus faced the woman, he saw in her a repentant heart so he forgave her and gave her the opportunity to live a new life. Pastor Avi also noted a crucial point about the context of the passage. The incident occurred during one of Jesus' teachings to many people that gathered at the temple courts, so the scene was played out in front of an audience. The incident was immediately followed by Jesus saying to the people,

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Jesus had taken this opportunity to teach the people about the importance of repentance, about the light and the new life that repentance will bring about. The message concluded with an important truth: only Jesus can save us from sin. O Yeshua, let me come before You with a broken and contrite heart and to be made new every morning!

Please pray! Ever since 2007, Adonai Roi Congregation has not had a permanent home -- pray that the Lord will provide the perfect location at the perfect time. Also, there are two congregants that are currently suffering from brain and heart problems and are in the hospital -- pray for healing, resurrection, strength and peace for the suffering individuals and family members. Last but not least, Ari is a new Jewish seeker of the Lord -- pray that he will find a community of love in Adonai Roi and find Christ as his good Shepherd.

Todah rabah!