“I was blind but now i see”
Passage
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Testimony sharing
We had the great opportunity to hear the testimony and work of a missionary commissioned on behalf of Light Presbyterian Church. Due to privacy concerns, only the high-level points will be shared below:
He grew up in the Islamic faith and was a prominent figure (an iman) for his giftedness in knowing the Qur’an and eventually being involved in planting multiple mosques before 2010. In his upbringing, he saw Christians as individuals to be persecuted.
His first encounter with Christians began when he was employed by them. They not only encouraged him to abide by his Islamic rituals, they treated him with unconditional love and care. Slowly, he began to wrestle with his initial belief of persecuting Christians.
Jesus saved him through different interactions, where in his pursuit of the true God, he found the Christian faith and Jesus. He came to see Jesus as the way, the truth, and the light. Though he was weak in his understanding of Scripture, he compared his new life with that of the blind man who receives sight and can see. (John 9:1-12)
In the past decade, he has faced many challenges and life-threatening situations because of his faith in Jesus Christ. He has learned about: i) the love of Christ in his life; and ii) the importance of prayer in his new life. He also reminds us - our close friends or relatives we are hoping to convert into the Christian faith - that it is not our job to convert them. That will be God’s work and sovereignty, whereas ours is to love and care for them in various ways.
Lastly, he believes we don’t have to be perfect to serve God, we just have to be available. To remember the grace we have received as Christians where we are. To be thankful of the freedom and ease we have to worship God.
Let us also remember his family who are held in captivity and isolation in his home country. May his family be rescued and united with him soon.
Questions
What stood out to you from the testimony sharing this week?
What are some barriers you face when you think about evangelizing? What can you do in response to these fears?
Other resources
The 3D Gospel: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/review/the-3d-gospel-ministry-in-guilt-shame-and-fear-cultures/
Consider coming out to our upcoming ‘Fireside Chat’ to discuss various topics on outreach, social justice, local missions, homelessness, and community building with us. Sign-up here: https://newhopefellowship.ca/downtown-calendar-events/fireside-chat
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)
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