We live in a land of many churches. Since Muslims don't understand separation of church and state, most assume the West is 'Christian'. Its confusing for them when Christians identify themselves as 'Baptist', 'Mennonite', etc. etc. Some wonder, "What is the real Christian message?"
In Unshackled and Growing Nabil Jabbour gives an illustration of "What is the Gospel?" It is written with a Muslim audience in mind.
"I...wrapped a tangerine with paper. I taped it and wrote on the paper, “Change my name from a Muslim name to a Christian name.” Then I wrapped another paper around it and wrote on it, “Abandon my Muslim family and join Christianity.” Then on another paper I wrote, “I need to be ready to attack Islam,” and I continued with another one and another one. By the time I finished, the tangerine became almost the size of a volleyball...I went back to the group telling them there was something inside that symbolized the Gospel. I showed them what I had written on the outer sheet and asked, “Is this the Gospel?” They said, “No.”...I kept unwrapping the layers one after the another until there was only one wrapping sheet left. By then, they could see that there was a tangerine inside, and they started laughing. When I got to the last sheet, I asked them, “Is this the Gospel?” and they shouted, “No!” Finally, I unwrapped the last sheet, leaving only the tangerine, and asked, “Is this the Gospel?” They screamed “Yes!” I surprised them by saying, “No.” Then I peeled the tangerine, threw the peelings away, and said, “This is the Gospel.”
Yes, Jesus is at the core of our message from God. He demonstrated perfectly what God is like. Leaving the political, cultural and even religious wrappings, Muslims can get a better glimpse of what the Gospel is all about.
"One summer, D.L. Moody invited a young English preacher, Henry Moorhouse, to preach at his Chicago church. The young preacher spent the entire week preaching on just one verse--John 3:16:
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
Each night, the auditorium was filled to capacity, and many were saved. D.L. Moody was initially puzzled by the incredible response to Moorhouse's sermons but later confided to a friend, "I never knew up to that time that God loved us so much. This heart of mine began to thaw out; I could not keep back the tears. I just drank it in. So did the crowded congregation. I tell you, there is one thing that draws above everything else in the world, and that is love."
At 11 years old, I responded to a message on this very passage. I said 'yes' to Jesus and He began to change my life!
My friend Samir was trying to be polite. He didn't want to say anything negative about my faith. I helped him understand terms he knew about Jesus from the Qur'an--Word of God, Messiah, and Jesus had the Spirit of God. I think God used my testimony to help him understand Jesus in a new way. I continue to pray that he and many of my Muslim friends would long for the Jesus we as believers know.
Dear God, help me to communicate the 'heart of the Gospel message'. Amen.
"He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs." Acts 1:3
My Muslim friend Asif sniffed the Communion juice cup he held in his hand. Alcohol?? We had taken Asif to a church service one final time before he would return to his homeland. It happened to be 'Communion Sunday'. With camera in hand he moved over to a seat a distance from us while taking pictures of the music portion of the worship service. When the audience was invited to partake together, he nibbled up the piece of bread, smelled the juice again and then drank it. When Asif returned to the area we were seated in after the service I knew I had some explaining to do. I could read his face that he was puzzled with these miniature portions of juice and bread! It opened an opportunity to explain the truth that Jesus suffered and died and came back to life for us. He left Canada with lots to think about.
Thomas in the Bible had serious doubts about rumors that Jesus arose till he miraculously showed up. Jesus invited Thomas to thrust his hand into wounds in his hands and side. He now saw for himself and declared "My Lord and my God." Many have doubted the account of Jesus' death and resurrection. Lee Strobel as one of them in his typical fashion, researches the death and resurrection of Jesus in 'The Case for Easter'. He writes "I started my original investigation as a spiritual skeptic but after having thoroughly investigated the evidence for the resurrection, I was coming to a startlingly unexpected verdict...The disciples didn't merely believe in the resurrection; they knew whether it was fact or fiction. Had they known it was a lie, they would never have been willing to sacrifice their lives for it." Stroebel concludes that there is insurmountable evidence of the death and resurrection of Christ. He adds "There is no heaven without a resurrection."
My friend Kamal awoke with a dream when a man touched his forehead and said "Wake up Kamal, it's Easter." He woke up his wife and asked, "Do you know what Easter is?" She didn't know. He turned on the TV but there was no news about it. When he went downstairs and asked people loafing around, he got confusing answers. When Joy visited them, he asked "Do you know anything about Easter?" She gladly explained the message of Easter. Several years later while laid up in a hospital bed with a life threatening illness, he recalled when Jesus came to him in a dream and how he heard about Easter for the first time.
Most of our Muslim friends haven't been given the opportunity to process this truth. Since the Qur'an states that the Jews did not actually kill Jesus nor crucify him, Muslims are predisposed to reject this wonderful message. Perhaps we can help them to look at this again. You may ask, "When do I talk about the Easter story?" Throughout the year! This is the heart of the gospel message.
Dear Jesus, you showed your incredible love by coming to earth to reveal God and in dying as the perfect sacrifice. We rejoice that you demonstrated power over everything, including death. We worship you, our risen Lord. Amen.
