(Video Clips from Willow Creek: I Have a Friend Who thinks all Religions are the Same)
(Internet sites researched included in body of text)
SLIDE 1
Welcome, attendance pads
I continue the series of messages on Christianity and world religions. Today I will discuss Islam and as is the case in all of these sermons—I want to make this disclaimer. I am not an expert in this religion—this is only a summary of my study and research in this area.
So let me share some historical perspective on this religion.
SLIDE 2
The Story of Muhammad
Muhammad – lived 570 – 632 A.D.
Let’s review the timeline for Biblical events in relation to Muhammad. The NT was completed by 100 AD, so Muhammad was born after that in 570.
(Project timeline on screen).
The Qur’an was complied after his death in 632 AD.
SLIDE 3
Muhammad was born in what is known as Saudi Arabia in the city of Mecca. He lived in difficult circumstances. His father died before he was born and his mother when he was 6 years old. He went to live with his grandfather who died shortly thereafter. Then he was reared by an uncle. He grew up in a respected family but lived in poverty.
SLIDE 4
Mecca was the site of a sacred shrine “the Kabah” which was the center of idol worship in his day and time. The “Kabah” was a cubed shaped building—“Kabah” means cube. This square was consecrated by Abraham, the Muslims believe.
The Kabah contained a black stone (probably a meteorite) which is still regarded as a holy object by Muslims today.
SLIDE 5
Muhammad worked as a merchant since Mecca was the center of the trade caravans.
At the age of 25, Muhammad married his 40 year old, wealthy, widowed employer. His newfound wealth allowed him the leisure pursue his interest in religion. Each year he spent the month of Ramadan in a cave meditating. He was drawn to the Jews and Christians who worship only one God and not all the plethora of gods that were being worshiped in his city.
At the age of 40, (610 CE), he was visited in Mecca by the angel Gabriel.
According to Islamic tradition, different fragments of the Qur’an were revealed to Muhammad verbatim by the angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years (Surah 25:32; 17:106). After each occasion, Muhammad recited these words to those present. Many of Muhammad’s devout followers memorized these portions as they were revealed.
In Surah 73:1-7 we are told that Muhammad’s scribes wrote these revelations on “pieces of paper, stones, palm-leaves, shoulder blades, ribs and bits of leather.”
He developed the conviction that he had been ordained a Prophet and given the task of converting his countrymen from their pagan, polytheistic beliefs and what he regarded as moral decadence, idolatry, hedonism and materialism.
Eventually, he became disgusted with the idolatry that had permeated his society and attempted to rid Arabia of all idol worship.
The Arabian tribes disliked this and, as a result, forced him to leave Mecca after preaching against idolatry in that city. He then fled to Medina on July 16, 622 to establish his Muslim community. This became known as the migration of The Hijra—or Muhammad and his followers, including his wife.
This date also marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. So this is not 2004 for the Muslims but the year 1424, which is based on a lunar calendar.
At first the people there welcomed him, but eventually they too turned against him. As a result, Mohammed gathered an army and conquered the surrounding tribes and forced them to accept his religion at sword point.
At this point, the messages he received about the Qur’an began to change—they became focused on ordering society and the laws of society. He now was more a political leader over an Islamic state than spiritual leader. Eventually he returned to Mecca after battles with armies there.
At the time of his death in 632 A.D., all of Arabia was under Mohammad’s control and ruled by the teaching of Islam. In only 100 years after his death, Islam had spread throughout Northern Africa and the Middle East; eventually spread and dominated Spain, Turkey, India and also part of China.
SLIDE 6
I. Essential Muslim Beliefs
The term “Islam” means “submission” or “surrendered” to the will of God. The person who submits is called a “Muslim,” or a submitted or surrendered one.
SLIDE 7
A. God’s Nature and How to Know God:
http://www.namb.net/resources/beliefbulletins/religions/islam.asp
Muslims believe that Allah is their God. He is numerically and absolutely one. God is beyond the understanding of man so that only his will may be revealed and known. He is confessed as the "merciful and compassionate one."
Today’s interview by Bill Hybels at Willow Creek Church is with Fisal Hammouda, a teacher and a leader in an Islamic center in Naperville, Illinois in the Chicago area. Hybels asks him to explain what the “God” of Islam is like. Who is the God of Islam? Watch this:
VIDEO CLIP 1
Fisal Hammouda: And Muhammad, peace be upon him, was selected by God to be the messenger and the seed of the messengers in a caravan that started with Adam all the way down to Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, peace be upon all of them. And he was asked to be a witness of mankind as well as a warner and bringer of good news.
Bill Hybels: And how did he describe Allah?
Fisal Hammouda: As a matter of fact, every human being is born with knowledge of God. We will associate with God. So in Arabia and many places in that time, they believed in God as the one creator, the merciful, the sustainer, but they have worshiped idols and other partners like the priests and what have you, so they can bring them closer to God. So what Muhammad has done is really bring to them the real God and the [inaudible] is shared directly with him, and they don’t have to have any mediator with him.
Bill Hybels: What I’m driving at here is did Muhammad explain the personality or the character of Allah? If I said, “Give me five descriptors of Allah. Is he a terrible God? Is he a kind God? Is he a distant God?” Just give me some descriptive words about who Allah is.
Fisal Hammouda: From the Qur’an, God says, “If you ask about me I am so near to you, answering your prayers.”
Bill Hybels: Okay, so he’s a near God. What else is he like?
Fisal Hammouda: He is merciful. He’s a mercy-giver. He is forgiving. He is the peace. He’s the first. He’s the last. He’s the owner of the day of judgment. He’s the owner of the universes. He’s the guidance. He’s the light. He’s the mercy to mankind.
According to the teachings of Islam, Almighty God is absolutely One and therefore all intermediaries are absolutely forbidden. From the Islamic standpoint, believing in the Oneness of God means to realize that all prayer and worship should be exclusively for God, and that He alone deserves such titles as "Lord" and "Savior".
As their scripture teaches: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet”
SLIDE 8
That leads me to the next essential belief of Islam--
B. The Scriptures or Sacred Texts:
For Muslims though, the only authoritative revelation from God is the Qur’an (Koran) which is considered God’s most recent and final work that supercedes all others. Today’s representative has this to say about the Qur’an:
VIDEO 2
Bill Hybels: Okay. Fisal, what are the sacred books of Islam?
Fisal Hammouda: Well, when Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was selected to be the prophet, the Qur’an is thought to be revealed to him through Gabriel and other ways. And it was a quote at a time. And today it is the same Qur’an that we have as was 1,400 plus years ago.
Bill Hybels: And you were telling us last night--and I think the congregation was just fascinated by it--Muhammad was illiterate?
Fisal Hammouda: He was illiterate. He could not read or write.
Bill Hybels: And then this revelation came to this illiterate man...
Fisal Hammouda: He conveyed it to his followers and they recorded it at that time. And many millions of Muslims have memorized the Qur’an word for word, and even the pronunciation the way it was pronounced by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
The word Qur’an means “recitations” which is based on the angel Gabriel supposedly instructing Muhammad to recite the revelations he received. In length, the Qur’an is slightly shorter than the New Testament (four-fifths its length) and contains 114 chapters called Surahs. Eighty-six of the chapters were revealed during the time Muhammad was in Mecca and 28 while he was in Medina. Each chapter is divided into verses (ayat).
The surahs are not placed in any type of chronological or logical order. They are generally arranged according to their length with the exception of the first one, which functions more as a short introductory prayer. Muslims dare not touch this sacred book without first being washed and purified. Neither do they ever hold it below their waist.
When Muhammad died, Muslims were convinced that God’s revelations to the world were completed.
One of the hallmarks of Islam is the belief that the Qur’an is a miracle from God because no error, alteration, or variation has touched it since its inception. However, history indicates that there were several differing texts before the final copy was delivered to the Muslim people.
About one year after Muhammad’s death, many of those who could recite the Qur’an by memory had been killed in various battles. As a result, Omar, the second caliph (successor) of Islam, ordered the compiling of the Qur’an because he feared that the knowledge of it might fade away.
SLIDE 9
C.About the Human Condition and Salvation
In this next part of the interview we get a glimpse of the Islamic view of the human condition and the process of salvation. Watch.
VIDEO 3
Bill Hybels: Fisal, from an Islamic perspective, how do you get right with God if you’ve really messed up and you know you’ve got all kinds of sins and shortcomings? You’ve done terrible things, and you come before Allah. What do you do?
Fisal Hammouda: Well, we believe that all human beings are born believers.
Bill Hybels: Yes, but what if they mess up?
Fisal Hammouda: That’s what I’m getting to. In their heart, regardless of how bad they are, there is a spot there that believes in God. And all we have to do, individually and collectively, is to bring about the point and to open the eyes and the ears to hear and to see and to feel the existence of God. It’s really best illustrated by a story, which has been narrated, about a man who killed 99 people.
He went to a scholar. He says, “I want to repent.” He said, “>From what?” He said, “I killed 99 people.” He says, “You won’t repent. You have no repentance.” So he said, “Okay. I’ll fool you with your life,” and he killed the scholar. And he still wanted to repent. So he went to a wise man.
The wise man says, “Sit down, tell me about your story. Tell me about your life.” And he found out that the environment he lived in is an environment that induced violence in him. So he advised him to go to another city where there are five people, nice people, that will bring peace and serenity to himself.
Of course, on his way there he died. And the two angels came down. The angel of hell wants to take him there, and the angel of heaven wants to take him to heaven. Because of his intention, God made him to go to heaven. So it is upon ourselves to take the first step, but collectively, also, to help each other. Because we have to watch out for each other. We have to look at it from self-protection. All it takes is one kid in a school who has a gun, and he can kill everybody.
So we have to watch for everyone. If he is depressed, we have to come up and help him. And that’s why God considers one of the best deeds that any human being can do is to comfort the suffering of others, to work for others, because this is self-protection, self-preservation. And also, a clear path to heaven. It’s very well illustrated in one short chapter in the Qur’an--“God is waiting with the time.”
SLIDE 10
Thus Islam is primarily a religion built upon human effort or works. The most important works or duties that are acknowledged by Muslims can be summed up in what are commonly referred to as the “Five Pillars of Islam.” They are the framework for the Muslims’ life and discipline. Successful and satisfactory adherence to the pillars satisfies the will of Allah. They form the basis for the Muslim’s hope for salvation along with faith and belief in Allah’s existence, the authority of Muhammad as a prophet, and the finality and perfection of the Qur’an. The five pillars are:
SLIDE 11
The PILLARS of Islam
1. The duty of the CREED - The first duty of every Muslim is to “bear witness” which is done by sincerely reciting their creed before at least two witnesses in order to become a Muslim. A faithful Muslim will repeat this creed constantly thereafter. The Muslim creed consists of these words: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.”
2. The duty of PRAYER - All Muslims submit to a very rigorous prayer regimen on a daily basis. Five times a day Muslims respond to the call to pray. No matter where they might be, Muslims face toward Mecca, place their forehead on the ground and then recite prescribed prayers. They do this at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, dusk and two hours after sunset. Then every Friday, they are required to meet in the Mosque to pray and hear a sermon. Muslims are required to say up to 17 ritualistic and repetitious prayers every day. These prayers involve confession of sins which begins with the purification of the body and ends in the purification of the soul.
3. The duty to FAST - During the Islamic month of Ramadan (the ninth lunar month of the Islamic year) Muslims commemorate Muhammad’s receiving of the Qur’an by abstaining from foods, liquids, and sexual intercourse during daylight hours. They are allowed to partake of these though from sunset to sunrise during this time.
4. The duty to give ALMS - Muslims are required to give 2.5% (one-fortieth) of their income to the poor and needy.
5. The duty of the PILGRIMAGE - Every Muslim is expected to make a trip to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, provided they are physically and financially able to do so. They are to go to the “Kabah and kiss the black stone. Those who are unable to do so personally, may perform this duty by proxy.
SLIDE 12
D. The Point of View of this Faith about Jesus Christ.
One of the most mentioned individuals in the Qur’an is Jesus. He is mentioned 35 times. If you were to talk to a Muslim about Jesus they would eagerly say that they believe in Him. In fact, they believe that in order to be a true Muslim one has to believe in him.
But there are some significant differences between what Muslims and Christians believe about Jesus. I will discuss these differences in detail when I talk about the essential differences in these faith groups.
SLIDE 13
III. Essential Differences Between Christianity and Islam
As Christians there are several doctrines that we share in common with Muslims. For instance, we believe in a resurrection, the final judgment of God as well as hell and so do they. We believe in angels and so do they. We believe in heaven and so do they (although it is usually called the Gardens of Felicity”).
However, there are some major doctrines that are distinctive to Islam that we do not have in common. And the one place that is the big stumbling block however is over the one book:
SLIDE 14
A. The Qur’an
Muslims see our Bible as being corrupted. Muslims also believe that the Torah of Moses (Pentateuch, first five books of the Old Testament), the Psalms of David, and the Gospels given to Jesus are all holy books, but that all of them have been corrupted by Christians and Jews to the point that they are not fully reliable. They do not believe that the New Testament contains the actual words of Jesus, but rather other people’s words about Jesus. Therefore they believe Jesus’ words have been corrupted.
Surah 3:71 says, “O followers of the Book! Why do you confound the truth with the falsehood and hide the truth while you know?”
For Muslims the Qur’an is God’s Word. And there are important differences between the way their scripture presents events that are recorded in the Bible that we use. This chart illustrates some of those differences:
What the Bible Says
God created in 6 days
All of Noah’s sons got onto the ark
Abraham’s father’s name was Terah
Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac
Abraham had 8 sons
Joseph was bought by Potiphar
Zacharias was not able to speak until John the Baptist was born (several months).
Jesus was born in a stable
What the Qur’an Says
God created in 8 days (Surah 41:9-12). The Qur’an even contradicts itself on this point and says in Surah 10:3 that it was done in six days.
One son was left behind (Surah 11:32-48)
Abraham’s father was Azar (Surah 6:74)
Abraham was going to sacrifice Ishmael (Surah 37:100-112)
Abraham only had 2 sons (Surah 37:100-112)
Joseph was bought by a person named Aziz (Surah 12:21)
Zacharias was only unable to talk for 3 nights (Surah 19:10)
Jesus was born under a palm tree (Surah 19:22-25)
Socrates once said that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” That philosophy can also be applied to what we believe. Norman Geisler in Answering Islam: The Crescent in the Light of the Cross, p. 10 says, “The unexamined faith is not worth living.” This is reflected in a Bible event in the early church:
SLIDE 15
Acts 17:11, “The people of Berea were more open-minded than the people of Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive God’s message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul said was true.” (GW)
However, Muslims are discouraged from asking questions about their faith.
SLIDE 16
Surah 5:101-102, “O ye who believe! Ask not questions about things which if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. Some people before you did ask such questions, and on that account lost their faith.”
SLIDE 17
In fact, as a Christian I have to realize that everything I experience about God is filtered through my own experience. So I have to carefully examine and even question sometimes what I think God is prompting me to do. Each week as I pray about what I need to share with you each Sunday, I get a sense of where God is leading but I can never say with 100% accuracy that this is what God told me to say.
The best I can say is “I believe this is what God wants me to say to you as I have searched the scriptures.” But I know my limitations as a human being enough to know that I cannot have a direct word from God without any question. That’s why I give you permission to ask questions about my sermons. In fact, I would encourage you to think for yourselves.
About a year ago I went through the cabinets up here in my church office and started looking at all my sermons I have written—some of them when I was a teenager and preached on youth Sundays in my church. I thought, “What in the world were you thinking? Boy those people who had to sit and listen to some of this stuff in the past sure were kind and patient.” But at the time I thought that’s what the Spirit was directing me to say. And hopefully God used what I said to touch somebody—Paul said God can use our weaknesses for his glory.
In fact, I’d encourage you to ask questions about what I say here on Sunday morning. I encourage you to think for yourself.
On the other hand, Muslims believe that asking questions about Islam can cause you to lose your faith in Islam.
An Islamic commentator on the Qur’an warned Muslims, “The Holy Prophet himself forbade people to ask questions– so do not try to probe into such things.” (Maududi, The Meaning of the Qur’an, Vol. 3 pp. 76-77)
SLIDE 18
B. Jesus Christ
Before I discuss what I see as the differences in our view and the Muslim view of Jesus, watch this part of the interview on the topic:
VIDEO 4
Bill Hybels: And Fisal, what would Islam say about Jesus Christ?
Fisal Hammouda: The Articles of Faith in Islam is to believe there is one God and to believe in all the angels, and to believe in all the scripts that have been revealed by God to all the prophets and messengers, and also to believe in all the messengers and the prophets of God, which include Jesus, peace be upon him.
Bill Hybels: Now, last night you said an interesting thing that I didn’t know. You said that Muslims do not believe that Jesus died on the cross.
Fisal Hammouda: Yes, in the Qur’an it says he has not been killed. He has not been crucified. It looked like it to the Romans, but he has been lifted by God and he will be coming back to guide all mankind according to Islam.
Bill Hybels: So at some point and time there was an exchange, because the Bible teaches that Jesus carried his own cross, he walked up the hill, his hands and feet were pierced, and he was put on the cross. Are there any details in the Qur’an about when that exchange happened?
Fisal Hammouda: The verse says, “They have not killed him. They have not crucified him, but it looked alike to them.”
Bill Hybels: So an imposter or another...
Fisal Hammouda: And also in the same Qur’an it says on the mouth of Jesus, peace be upon him, that he says, “Peace be upon me the day I’m born, the day I died, and the day I’ll come back.” And God hath told him also in the Qur’an that “He will lift you up and will make you and those who have followed you to be above all the unbelievers to the day of judgment.”
What exactly do Muslims believe about Jesus?
SLIDE 19
• The Bible says Jesus is God, but Muslims believe He was only an APOSTLE
John 20:28, “Thomas responded to Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" (GW)
Surah 5:75, “The Messiah, son of Marium is but an apostle...”
SLIDE 20
• The Bible says Jesus is the Son of God, Muslims believe He’s only the SON OF MARY
Mark 1:1, “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (NIV)
Surah 9:30, “The Jews call ’Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah’s curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!”
The Qur’an uses the phrase “son of Marium” (Mary) the majority of the time when referring to Jesus. The phrase “Son of Mary” is used only once in the New Testament by the Jews who did not believe in Jesus. (Mark 6: 3,7)
Muslims believe that words like father or son imply that God would have to have a wife. They reason that Jesus could not be the son of God since God doesn’t have a wife.
What they fail to understand is that Jesus is God’s Son not in the sense that the Father procreated Him, but rather in the sense that Jesus Himself is just like the Father in all His characteristics and attributes. The ancient Semitics used the phrase “Son of...” to indicate likeness or sameness of nature and equality of being. This is why when Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, the Jews understood He was claiming to be God.
SLIDE 21
John 5:18, “For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (NIV)
SLIDE 22
• The Bible says Jesus was crucified, Muslims believe He only ASCENDED TO HEAVEN
Luke 23:33, “When they came to the place called "The Skull," they crucified Jesus there, and the two criminals, one on his right and the other on his left.” (TEV)
Surah 4:157-158, “And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the apostle of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure. Nay! Allah took him up to Himself; and Allah is Mighty Wise.”
SLIDE 23
• The Bible says Jesus is the Savior of the world, but Muslims believe He was only a PROPHET
John 4:14, “God sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” (CEV)
Surah 19:30, “He said: Surely I am a servant of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet.”
Islam doesn’t have a savior, it’s a religion of works. It’s a religion based on rituals rather than a relationship with God. How successful a Muslim is at doing what the Qur’an says determines their eternal fate.
SLIDE 24
Surah 4:57, “And as for those who believe and do good deeds, We will make them enter gardens...”
Christians, on the other hand, take this verse as their hope:
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.” (NIV)
SLIDE 25
Conclusion – Muslim Extremism and the Call of Christ
Because of events of the past few years and what we see so much of in the news leads us to judge Muslims by the extremists groups. But my experience and research helps me to understand that Muslims are good people from whom we can learn from.
Extremists interpret jihad as literal warfare against non-Muslims, and believe that Muslims who die in a holy war are assured of a place in paradise.
Moderates suggest that the jihad refers to specific battles mentioned in the Qur’an fought by Muhammad against his enemies (non-Muslims) and should not be applied universally or taken literally for today. They say that jihad can apply to leading a virtuous life, helping other Muslims through charity, education, or other means; preaching Islam; and fighting to defend Muslims.
When asked if the Islamic jihad refers to a “holy war” most Muslims may frequently quote the Qur’an in Surah 2:256 which says, “There is no compulsion in religion.”
http://www.iiie.net/Brochures/Brochure-33.html
In fact one source I reviewed states: In Islam, there is no such thing as holy war. This terminology was generated in Europe during the Crusades and their war against Muslims. Islam recognizes Jews and Christians as the "People of the Book" because they all follow the Prophet Abraham, believing in Moses’ and Jesus’ teachings.
For many centuries, Muslims have peacefully coexisted with Christians, Jews, and people of other faiths, maintaining social, business, political and economic treaties. Islam respects all humans and faiths as long as there is no religious oppression, forbidding Muslims from serving Allah, preventing others from learning about Islam, and not respecting treaties.
This Muslim scripture reads: "Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not begin aggression. For God loves not aggressors." (Qur’an 2:190)
Islam does not have a monopoly on extremists. There are extremists in Christianity and other faiths as well. Many people regard Christianity as a religion of love, peace, and tolerance - but that isn’t always the case. For some Christians, their religion is one of force, hatred, and intolerance. They refuse to accept others and equals and so wish to impose their beliefs - or kill in the process, if necessary. The extremists in any faith can find scriptures that support their actions and can take them out of context.
SLIDE 26
So in conclusion I think there are many things we can learn from our Muslim cousins:
Prayer: The dedication of the Muslims in their prayer lives puts us to shame.
The Idea of Being Totally Surrendered to God: Christ followers give it lip service, but to what extent do we really practice it?
Caring for the Poor in our Community: a profoundly Christian concept that I often fail at.
But there are some places that I cannot agree with the Muslims on—the belief that Jesus is not the Son of God for instance. Muslims accept he was born of a virgin but not the son of God. Didn’t Muhammad understand that such a birth teaches us that he is in fact the Son of God?
You can believe in his miracles but didn’t believe what they pointed to? And Muhammad didn’t believe Jesus was crucified to save humanity—yet you don’t understand that the name of Jesus means the one who saves? Or to fail to understand the power of the resurrection.
I have to conclude that the Qur’an robs the gospel of Jesus Christ of its power—the power to save, deliver and give hope. I will never agree with my Muslim cousins on this matter. But I still love them. And I can reach out to them.
Even our own President a few weeks ago during his trip to Britain attempted to reach out to the Muslim population when he said that he believed that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.
SLIDE 27
How can Christians reach out to Muslims?
Discussions about religion with Muslims should not be one-sided. Christians must be willing to listen respectfully and learn about the faith of Islam. Christians should pray that God will touch the heart of their Muslim friends and neighbors and make them open to the Gospel. Rather than trying to engage Muslims in heated debate (which generally is unsuccessful), Christians can reach out through meaningful friendships and relationships with Muslims, demonstrating what Christian love, compassion and forgiveness is all about.
As is usually the case, a Christian’s lifestyle can go a long way toward helping Muslims at least to consider the possibility of the Christian faith. On the other hand, if Muslims witness behaviors that are unloving and reflect a prejudice against them this can turn them away.
You can share with your Muslim friends: God is a God of love and mercy, who gives us forgiveness freely, as a gift, because of Jesus, who is the Son of God, not merely a human prophet.
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:20 Msg.
We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them.
SLIDE 28
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, I thank you for your love, mercy, grace and the gift of life. Help me to reflect your love to my Muslim cousins should I ever have the opportunity. Help me to learn from them, but help to have opportunities to share with them the fullness of your Good News. Make me your ambassador, your representative in the process of reconciliation among all people. Amen.
