Jesus says, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to all creation” (Mk 16:15). I recently visited our Iranian congregant Mohammad who is still in a mental facility (see my post from Aug 30, 2024), yet making good use of his time there witnessing to Persian patients. Mohammad introduced me to a young Iranian who joined us in a drab common room, adorned with a flat-screen TV and photographs of Hamburg. Other accouterments were a tired-looking plant, a bowl of fruit, two chairs, and a Dean Koontz novel lying on the coffee table by the couch. We sat down. “How long have you been in Germany?” I asked ‘Javad.’ “Several years,” he replied. “It’s good to have you here… I understand Mohammad has been telling you about Jesus…” “Yes, he has,” Javad replied, smiling at Mohammad. “What do you know about Christianity?” “Not much, but that didn’t stop me from believing in Jesus secretly while still in Iran. I do know that Jesus forgives the sins of all who believe in Him.” I nodded and asked, “Do you believe that you are a sinner?” “Yes,” he readily admitted. “I have also heard that Jesus gives his followers a kind of inner peace. I would like that too.” I shared some basic Christian teachings: the forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and the fruit of the Spirit [Gal 5:22-23]—emphasizing the gift of peace that every Christian receives. I explained that Jesus is 100% God and 100% man—and as man is Prophet, Priest, and King.” “I know that Jesus is a prophet,” Javad interjected. “Muslims believe that too.” “Yes, but Jesus is not just one of many prophets, as Islam teaches.” Javad’s eyes grew wide. “Jesus Christ is *the* Prophet because only *He* has the words of eternal life. After all, Jesus rose from the dead. In contrast, Mohammad—the greatest prophet of Islam—is still dead.” Javad’s eyes grew even bigger. “Only Jesus gives the peace that the world cannot give and which you desire.” “I can’t wait to go to your church once I get out of here,” Javad exclaimed. Mohammed nodded and smiled—having proclaimed the Gospel—not necessarily to all creation but to an anxious fellow countryman who needs and wants our Lord and Savior.
The Tiews in Germany 