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sharing with
those who have never heard |
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Sometimes
we feel like we are living in someone else's missionary story. Events
brought on by God's leading stun us.
Yesterday we led a Bible study in a farming village called Daiwa Cho, a
forty minute drive from home up mountain roads through valleys tiered on
both sides with rice fields and mountains covered with pine and bamboo.
The drive is breath-taking, but the evangelistic Bible study is awesome.
The Bible study meets in the home of a Christian family. About a third
of those who attend are Christians. The other two-thirds are not just
non-Christians; until now these Buddhists and Shintoists have never
heard the gospel before. Many of these are influential farmers in their
80's. Twelve people attended the first two times; sixteen came
yesterday. But, people bring other friends each time. In fact, we were
told afterwards that one of the older, non-Christian women publicly
announced the Bible study and invited people to come during the area's
gathering for Buddhists. When someone questioned her going to the Bible
study, she replied, "If you don't attend the Bible study, you will go to
hell!" The Christian grandma of the home where the Bible study is held
exclaimed, "I would have never said that!"
Anyway, explaining the Gospel to regular folks who have never heard
anything before is not just a privilege, but also a thrill. For example,
yesterday we read Mark 2:1-12, the story of Jesus healing the paralyzed
man who was carried by four men and then lowered through the roof in
front of Jesus. We emphasized what Mark recorded: Jesus has authority to
heal, but more than that, Jesus has authority to forgive sins. In the
Japanese Bible, the first page ends with Jesus saying to the paralyzed
man, "Get up, take your mat and go home." I read that outloud and then
asked, "So, what happened?" As everyone turned the page, I heard some of
the people gasp. Then, a couple of them, filled with wonder, quietly
said the next words: "He got up."
Friends, this is fun! Telling the Good News of Jesus to people who
really have not heard and are completely open to hear. And, the fun
increases: maybe we are at the very starting point of a movement of
people to Christ where up till now only the worship of spirits
prevailed.
Please continue to pray for all of us missionaries in Japan. We work in
the country - next time, we will explain why. Others of us work in
mammoth cities. But, all of us are taking the Good News of Jesus to
people who are part of the largest unreached people group in the world.
We are witnessing for Christ to people who have never heard and likely
will never hear unless we tell them.
Thank you for praying. Thank you for giving. Keep up your good work. We
all will continue to do ours.
contributed by Ken & Kathy
Young
9/20/2009
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