So Close Yet So Far Away

I am back in Chicago, sort of my second or third home. While I have really enjoyed being here again, God has really spoken profoundly to me. The last two youth trips I have lead have been quite fruitful spiritually, at least for me. Camp was rich with insight into God's word, revealed to me through the Spirit.

And today a light just turned on for me about evangelism. People without Christ really are not that far from him. In fact, some of the people who we would assume are far from God are actually so close to discovering Jesus. It just takes someone to help be that conduit of God's mercy, love and grace.

Today I heard someone read from the first chapter of the Qur'an. And it absolutely opened my eyes. I also heard from a Pakistani pastor who has an intimate working knowledge of Islam and also from a man who has really and truly studied Islam and read through the Qur'an many times. In the first chapter, if you heard in it modern English, you might be surprised by what it says. In it is a phrase that is repeated by devout Muslims seventeen times as they pray five times each day towards Mecca. The phrase is a plea to Allah to help them find the "straight way." Seventeen times every day Muslims ask Allah to show them the straight way. Every day Muslims want to find the straight, narrow road to God.

And so many Christians refuse to enter any kind of dialogue with them about that straight way. In fact, most Christians are so nominal in their faith that they couldn't even point to John 14:6 and tell a Muslim, "You know, you pray seventeen times a day for Allah to show you the straight way. Would you like to know who is the straight way? It is Jesus Christ. According to John 14:6, Jesus says he is the way and the truth and life. Nobody gets to God except through Jesus."

They don't enter into that conversation for so many reasons. Some won't because they are so ignorant of scripture that they cannot even link John 3:16 with John 14:6 and let those words compel them by the power of the Holy Spirit to share with others. Many won't because they don't even know a Muslim, although they are all over this great land.

But most will never enter into that conversation because they simply hate Muslims. They hate them. They hate their word for God (Allah). They hate their holy book, the Qur'an, which Muslims hold sacred. They hate their religion, their mosques and their practices. They hate everything that is important to Muslims.

Muslims are moving to the USA for life. They are not here for two years. They are not here until they get a little older than they will retire and return to Kabul or Kathmandu. They will live and marry and die here. Right now there are an estimated 7 million Muslims in America. That means they are now more populous than those who practice Judaism.

Why should a Muslim listen to us Christians? We hate them. We want them to die. We discredit everything they hold dear. We don't respect it. How can you show love to someone you hate? How? Will you take any gift from someone who hates you? Me neither.

Christians MUST leave behind their hate and ignorance and bigotry. We must get out of our bully pulpit. Sinners were attracted to Jesus. The rest of the world hates Christians. Read those two sentences again. What in the world has happened? Stop listening to Jack Van Impe or Pat Robertson and start reading what Jesus said. You cannot show someone you love them when you talk about how much you hate them

Have you ever read the Qur'an? Even a little? Have you ever met a Muslim? Have you ever invited one into your home? How can you reach out and minister in love to someone you hate, who does something you hate?

And where in the holy book of God called the Bible does it say ANYWHERE "Jesus looked at them and hated them?" How will you reach the gambler when you think he is a degenerate? How will you reach the alcoholic or the drug addict who you think is a burnout loser? How can you reach the homosexual who you think is a disgusting abomination? How will you reach the adulterer who you think is a lustful heathen and cheater? How will you reach the Muslim who you think is a horrible terrorist?

You know what all of those people have in common? They are sinners. Satan uses that evil snare of sin to keep them separated from God. And what do you have in common with them? You are a sinner too. Without Jesus Christ to conquer death, we would all burn in hell together. You. The gay couple. The gambler. The Muslim. Pat Robertson and Jack Van Impe. And me too. Jesus died on the cross and conquered, vanquished, defeated, crushed the devil. Jesus secured for us victory. We are NOT ashamed of Jesus Christ and the cross he was crucified on. In fact, Jesus died to create for us the straight way that even today Muslims will ask Allah to show them. Seventeen times.

Learn how to love like Jesus. Learn how to live like Jesus. Stop being an American Christian. Start being a Kingdom Christian. Love others. Share. They are so close to Christ. Yet they are so far away. Bridge that gap. Be proud and confident and bold in the Jesus Christ you say you believe in.