© 3 March 2017 Revive Israel Ministries

The Core Value of Reconciliation

By Asher Intrater

Reconciliation has two directions: one toward God and one toward people. Reconciliation toward God is the Gospel.  Yeshua died on the cross to demonstrate sacrificial love and to pay the price for our forgiveness.  Thus we are reconciled to God (II Corinthians 5).

There is also reconciliation between people.  If God made peace with us, it is appropriate for us to make peace with others. The principle of reconciliation is that we always seek to bring unity and take active measures to fix broken relationships. 

When a relationship is broken, it is because wrong has been done, or perceived to be done, by one party to another.  Yeshua taught us to be "pro-active" in both directions. We are to "go" to the other person, regardless of whether we hurt them, or they hurt us, or there is simply a misunderstanding. 

The childish reaction of "he started it" (therefore it's not my fault, and I'm not going to do anything about it), is certainly a natural reaction in all of us.  However, Yeshua teaches us to overcome that tendency and, through spiritual maturity, to seek out the other person in an effort to restore the relationship. 

Matthew 5:23-24

If you bring your sacrifice to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave the sacrifice on the altar and GO first to be reconciled with your brother…

Repentance and reconciliation has priority even over worship. 

Loving confrontation is also part of grace and faith:

Matthew 18:15

If your brother sins against you, Go and reprove him between you and him alone.  If he hears you, you have won back your brother.

In the first case, a brother "has something" against you; in the second case, you have something "against him."  In either case, it is our responsibility to GO first. The core value of reconciliation means that we always make whatever effort possible to restore relationships, no matter who is at fault.

By Malek Gavris and Asher Intrater

Recently Malek and Susanne Gavris traveled with Betty and me to Brazil.  It was a joy to be with them, and to demonstrate our love as Messianic Jews and Arab Christians.  Malek and Suzanne serve with us on the Revive Israel team. They are dear "spiritual children" to us and part of Revive's extended ministry family.

At one point Malek shared a "prophetic revelation," which he called "the third kind of love."  In Deuteronomy 6:5 we are commanded, "Love the Lord with all your heart."  In Leviticus 19:18 we are commanded, "Love your neighbor as yourself."  Yet Yeshua taught about a third kind of love, much harder to comprehend.  In Matthew 5:44, He said, "Love your enemies."

"Loving one's enemy" has deep significance for Arabs and Jews, both in terms of evangelism and reconciliation.  Our peoples have seen themselves as enemies for almost four millennia. Yet through the sacrificial love of Yeshua, we are able to overcome the enormous racial and political obstacles, in order to love one another.  Only that love can bring true and lasting peace (Luke 2:14). 

"Turning our spears into plowshares" (Isaiah 2:4) does not start with a political agreement, but with a change of heart.  Frankly, we don't think there is any political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, whether one state or two. Our message is first spiritual.

Through the Gospel, we can know the love of God.  That love can change our hearts and overcome any situation. There is no other message, no other power, no other person, who can change hearts enough to cause previous enemies to love one another.

Cody Archer shares on the importance on knowing your own prophetic season in life, sharing from his personal testimony.

To watch this teaching in English click here.

This 8-week program (April 14 – June 8, 2017) organized and led by Chaim & Ruti Singerman (this is not a Revive Israel program, but we are helping get the word out) includes biblical teaching, excursions to key sites in Israel, and practical service within the local Messianic community and is designed for English-speaking believers of all ages.

For more information contact Chaim Singerman at chaim.singerman@gmail.com, or visit their website.

To watch the intro click here.