It Is A Great Commission...Not A Great Recommendation

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of our Lord Jesus Christ’s last words before He was taken up to heaven were, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). This is what is called the Great Commission, not the “Great Recommendation!” Jesus commanded us to go make disciples of all nations: the Hispanics, the Somalis, the Arabs, the Greeks—yes, Jesus meant all nations, not only the Europeans! “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). Jesus died for all, not only for Christians, not only for Lutherans—for all. In April 2001, I was going into a bank building when I bumped into a retired Lutheran pastor from Northern Minnesota. Pastor Bernie Lutz was a missionary in Papua New Guinea when his wife was pregnant with their first child. Papua New Guinea was then in the Stone Age. He was also a missionary in Nigeria, and he pastored many churches in Northern Minnesota. But he promised his wife that when they retired, he would take her south… So he took her to Lebanon. Anyway, when he suggested to Lutheran Hour Ministries that he go to Lebanon, they told him, “There are Arab Christians in Lebanon, so why go there? Let the Arab Christians share the Gospel with the Muslims there.” But like most of us in the West, most of those Arab Christians have neglected Jesus’ Great Commission for centuries. We all deserve God’s wrath for neglecting the Great Commission. We are guilty of ignoring Jesus’ Great Commission and deserve God’s wrath, as we have confessed today. Arab Christians in Lebanon are not a persecuted minority. They were granted privileges above the rest of the population there, since the foundation of the country. Lebanon is the only Arab country which has, by mandate and constitution, a Christian president. Muslims wanted to share power with Christians, first through democratic means—but they were ignored. I was caught in that tug-of-war since the age of 7. CHRISTIAN ARABS, INSTEAD OF SHARING THE LOVE OF CHRIST, KILLED MY ONLY BROTHER. [For Pastor Chehab’s personal story, visit his website at http://salamarabicfellowship.blogspot.com/.] Though I contemplated revenge against my Christian enemies, I was struck by the command of Jesus: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES and pray for those who persecute you. ONCE I ASKED A LEBANESE CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION: ARE YOU READING A DIFFERENT BIBLE? WHILE MY BIBLE TEACHES ME TO LOVE MY NEIGHBOR AS MYSELF, I SEE THAT YOU KILL YOUR NEIGHBORS. Brothers and Sisters, ALL OF US HAVE SINNED AGAINST OUR NEIGHBOR AND DESERVE THE WRATH OF GOD. But God out of His Amazing Grace and love wants to have mercy on us. AS WE READ JOHN 3:16, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE HOPE IN CHRIST. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). HOWEVER, SOME OF US TAKE JOHN 3:16 AS A LICENSE TO INDULGE IN A SINFUL LIFE, instead of living a life that makes us salt and light in this world, a life worthy of disciples of Jesus. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16). Dietrich Bonhoeffer understood what kind of love that is and what kind of discipleship Jesus commanded. Bonhoeffer taught that grace is free, but discipleship is costly. Actually, it could cost us our lives. Two days after Hitler was installed as Chancellor of Germany, Bonhoeffer delivered a radio speech in which he attacked Hitler and warned Germany against slipping into an idolatrous cult of the Führer. After accepting an invitation to come and teach in America, he wrote, “I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in coming to America. I must live through this difficult period in our national history with the people of Germany. I will have no right to participate in the reconstruction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people...” He returned to Germany on the last scheduled steamer to cross the Atlantic, AS THE WAR BROKE OUT. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo and executed by hanging in April 1945, 23 days before the Nazis’ surrender. Brothers and Sisters, the Gospel is the POWER of GOD—dynamis (from which we get our word “dynamite”). This is why before Jesus commanded us to make disciples he called us FRIENDS. He told His disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). And His last words to the disciples in the Great Commission were: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. AMEN

Some Translations That Target Muslims Compromises The Gospel Fears are arising that missionary groups are seeking to “Islamize” the Bible by altering references to God as “Father” and to Jesus as the “Son” when translating the holy book into languages in Muslim-dominated parts of the globe. The issue has been raised by Biblical Missiology in the U.S., after translations by the missionary groups Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Summer Institute of Linguistics and Frontiers removed or modified terms that may be offensive to Muslims. An Nahar daily said Wednesday that Lebanese priest George Hosni, who hails from Zghorta, has also been spearheading the campaign against such translations. Biblical Missiology has issued a petition stating that Wycliffe and the others “are producing Bibles that remove Father, Son and Son of God because these terms are offensive to Muslims.” One example can be seen in an Arabic version of the Gospel of Matthew produced and promoted by Frontiers and SIL. It changes Matthew 28:19 from “baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” to “cleanse them by water in the name of Allah, his Messiah and his Holy Spirit.” The Presbyterian Church of America has also criticized the issue, saying in a report drafted by a study team that “footnotes, parentheticals and other paratextual comments may be used to explain the biblical and theological riches of Scripture, while never subverting the important truths embedded in the biological contours of Scripture’s words.” The PCA will discuss the study’s findings at its annual meeting in June. But after numerous appeals were rejected, the online petition was launched calling for an end to the translations.

Evangelical Christians Persecute a Muslim Background Christian.

Samer, a brother in Christ, from a Muslim background, was kicked out of his Arab Evangelical church (in Lebanon), because he gave his testimony (from a Muslim extremist to a Christian) on TV. A friend explained that it was due to the Arab Christians' instinct of self-preservation. I wrote back: the instinct of self-preservation, made Christian Arabs a dying minority that could be persecuted and driven out of any Arab country...easily...However, sooner or later, the price will be paid for being Christian, whether they succumb to Islamic terrorism, or they are bold with the Gospel.

Next Tuesday: ACMN Meeting (9 a.m.)... with Rev. Hicham Chehab at WCM - Tuesday May 15… The Aurora Christian Ministry Network (ACMN) is inviting Aurora and Fox Valley area pastors and Christian leaders to the next ACMN meeting on Tuesday, May 15, 9-10:30 a.m., at Wayside Cross Ministries(WCM), chapel, 215 E. New York St., Aurora, IL 60505. Rev. Hicham Chehab will give his story, Hicham Chehab; from a Muslim Extremist to a Follower of Christ, a Testimony to Jesus our Savior. Coffee and rolls will be served. Hicham Chehab grew up in a world of bitter animosity between Muslims and Christians, which he experienced personally in a physical attack when only about 7. By age 13 he was recruited by an extremist Muslim group(the Muslim Brotherhood) and later fought against Christians in the 1975 war in Lebanon. He was preparing to become a Muslim preacher (Imam) when a car accident laid him up for a year. In 1980, Hicham decided to become a doctor and enrolled at the American University of Beirut. In his first semester in college, his brother was killed by Christian militia. Hicham's response was to study by day, and by night take out his revenge in attacks on Christians. However, hearing the Sermon on the Mount (in a college course on cultural studies) at the climax of his hate and thirst for vengeance , he was brought to faith. Later, Hicham earned an M.A. in the history of Arabs and did Ph.D. studies in the history of Islam. Hicham finished his pastoral education at Concordia, Fort Wayne, IN. Presently, he pastors Salam Arabic Church, and works as a missionary to the Muslims in Illinois.

In spite of Capital Punishment, God Is Calling Muslims to Faith in Jesus

In spite of the threat of death and persecution, Muslims all over the world, even in Muslim majority countries are embracing Jesus Christ. For decades, the Iranian authorities did not know what to do with the tide of conversion to Christianity. Hence, a few years ago, the Iranian parliament passed a bill that punishes an apostate with decapitation. The Iranian authorities are following in the footsteps of Muhammad the prophet of Islam in this. Below are Muhammad's statements:

Ibn Abbaas said : The Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever changes his (Islamic) religion, kill him.” Al-Bukhary (number 6922) Abd-Allah ibn Masood said : The Messenger of Allah said : “It is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim who bears witness that there is no god except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah, except in one of three cases : a soul (in case of murder) ; a married person who commits adultery ; and one who leaves his religion and separates from the main body of Muslims.” Sahih Al Bukhary number 6484 and Sahih Muslim number 1676 When I visited Lebanon two years ago, my first cousins tried to ambush me. However, there is good news, I have some second cousins relatives who are reading my stories on Facebook and are hunted down by the "Hound of Heaven." I am receiving some comments on Facebook that are really encouraging. One cousin feels peace when reads about Jesus and Mary in the Quran!!! Another asks me about my conversion by email, then after a few months sends me the Lord's Prayer...notifying me that he found a new life...they have not yet gone public...But God is good, and the Holy Spirit is working...Amen.

Presentation and Preaching at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Davenport, IA

http://www.facebook.com/hicham.chehab Join us at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Davenport to hear Pastor Hicham Chehab  speak about his conversion from militant Islam to Christianity! Pastor Chehab will preach at the following services: Saturday, May 19, at 5pm Sunday, May 20, at 9am He will also give a presentation in which he tells his story in greater depth and takes questions at our Bible class on Sunday, May 20, at 10:15am We hope to see you there! Pastor Hicham Chehab [pronounced HESHAM SHEHAB] grew up in a world of bitter animosity between Muslims and Christians, which he experienced personally in a physical attack when only about 7. By age 13 he was recruited by an extremist Muslim group and later fought against Christians in the 1975 war in Lebanon. He was preparing to become a Muslim Preacher (Imam) when a car accident laid him up for a year. In 1980, in his first semester in college, his brother was killed by Christian militia. Hicham’s response was to study by day, and by night take out his revenge in attacks on Christians. However, hearing the Sermon on the Mount in a college course on cultural studies brought Hicham to faith. Later, Hicham earned an M.A. in the history of the Arabs and did Ph.D. studies in the history of Islam. Hicham finished his pastoral education at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and he is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program at that institution. Presently, Hicham, an ordained LCMS minister, pastors Salam Christian Fellowship in Lombard, Illinois, near Chicago, and works as a missionary to the Muslims with the Lutheran Church in Illinois. Holy Cross Lutheran Church is a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod where the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity and His holy Sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution. Our church is located at 1705 E. Locust St., Davenport, Iowa, 52803, right on the corner of Locust and Eastern. During the week & at our services, visitors are welcome!

The Power of the Word; Iraqi Muslim Convert Visits Family of Fallen Marine in Iraq

By Hicham Chehab "Your Muslim brother was killed by Christians, and my Christian son was killed by Muslims, but both of us find forgiveness, solace, and hope in Jesus Christ," George Langhorst said to me. Langhorst's son Moy was killed in action while serving in the Marines in Iraq. He died, at the age of 19, in April 2004, while on patrol with his unit in Ramadi, near Fallujah. I met the Langhorsts at one of those “God moments,” in Baxter, Minnesota, in April, during the Becoming Northern Lights Mission Conference, where Rev. Dr. Bernie Lutz and I were giving a workshop on Islam and how to witness to Muslims. In the class, I mentioned how my brother, Toufic was killed by Lebanese Christian militias at the age of 22, in November, 1980, during Lebanon's civil war. Filled with anger, two of my brother's comrades and I vowed to kill all our enemies. I got a silencer and two pistols, and I started stalking my enemies in the streets at night Meanwhile, as a student at the American University of Beirut, I had to take a course in cultural studies, for which I had to read selections from the Bible. One of the assigned readings was the Sermon on the Mount, which I read at the climax of my hate and thirst for vengeance. Christ's exhortation: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:45) struck me with full force. I thought: "There is another way, a way of forgiveness." George Langhorst's son, Moy was killed in Ramadi, Iraq on a street the Marines had dubbed "Easy Street." During a running gun battle, Moy's patrol of 11 Marines was ambushed by 50 -150 insurgents. The attack was so intense, with gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades hurled at the Marines from every door, window and roof top, that they had to get off the street to save their lives. Moy had been with three other Marines. The three found refuge by breaking down a door and fighting off persistent attacks for about an hour; but they didn't know where Moy was. When reinforcements arrived and they were able to search for Moy, they found his bullet-ridden body around a corner. Judy Langhorst, Moy's mother, walked up to me after that class in Minnesota and said: "I heard a pastor preach on Romans 12:17-21 and knew that God meant those verses for me. I have to forgive the Iraqi Muslims who killed Moy." "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good." (Romans 12:20-21) The essence of the Christian faith can be summed up in one word — love. God loves us. We are called to love God with all of our mind, body, and spirit; and to love our neighbors as ourselves. According to Christ's own words in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 22), "All of the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."

BELOW IS THE FIRST ARTICLE I WROTE ON MY FIRST MEETING WITH THE LANGHORSTS AND THEIR INSPIRING STORY... LAST WEEK I VISITED WITH AN IRAQI CONVERT FROM SUNNI ISLAM...HE STAYED ONE NIGHT UNDER THEIR ROOF...AGAIN THIS IS THE TESTIMONY FOR THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD THAT BRINGS FORGIVENESS. Tuesday, May 17, 2011 Love Your Enemies : The Power of the Word Love Your Enemies : The Power of the Word By Hicham Chehab "Your Muslim brother was killed by Christians, and my Christian son was killed by Muslims, but both of us find forgiveness, solace, and hope in Jesus Christ," George Langhorst said to me. Langhorst's son Moy was killed in action while serving in the Marines in Iraq. He died, at the age of 19, in April 2004, while on patrol with his unit in Ramadi, near Fallujah. I met the Langhorsts at one of those “God moments,” in Baxter, Minnesota, in April, during the Becoming Northern Lights Mission Conference, where Rev. Dr. Bernie Lutz and I were giving a workshop on Islam and how to witness to Muslims. In the class, I mentioned how my brother, Toufic was killed by Lebanese Christian militias at the age of 22, in November, 1980, during Lebanon's civil war. Filled with anger, two of my brother's comrades and I vowed to kill all our enemies. I got a silencer and two pistols, and I started stalking my enemies in the streets at night Meanwhile, as a student at the American University of Beirut, I had to take a course in cultural studies, for which I had to read selections from the Bible. One of the assigned readings was the Sermon on the Mount, which I read at the climax of my hate and thirst for vengeance. Christ's exhortation: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:45) struck me with full force. I thought: "There is another way, a way of forgiveness." George Langhorst's son, Moy was killed in Ramadi, Iraq on a street the Marines had dubbed "Easy Street." During a running gun battle, Moy's patrol of 11 Marines was ambushed by 50 -150 insurgents. The attack was so intense, with gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades hurled at the Marines from every door, window and roof top, that they had to get off the street to save their lives. Moy had been with three other Marines. The three found refuge by breaking down a door and fighting off persistent attacks for about an hour; but they didn't know where Moy was. When reinforcements arrived and they were able to search for Moy, they found his bullet-ridden body around a corner. Judy Langhorst, Moy's mother, walked up to me after that class in Minnesota and said: "I heard a pastor preach on Romans 12:17-21 and knew that God meant those verses for me. I have to forgive the Iraqi Muslims who killed Moy." "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good." (Romans 12:20-21) The essence of the Christian faith can be summed up in one word — love. God loves us. We are called to love God with all of our mind, body, and spirit; and to love our neighbors as ourselves. According to Christ's own words in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 22), "All of the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments." Moy Langhorst Moy Langhorst Page 1 of 2 How then can we respond to those who hate us? How can we live with the legitimate fear of those who wish to kill us? Again, Christ points to love in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 5). We are to love our enemies and pray for them. We get no credit for merely loving those who also love us. It is a hard calling. He goes on to say that, ultimately, God’s goal for us is to "be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect." This teaching separates Christians from those who are trapped in the darkness of their own hatred. If they hate us and we hate them, then we are all guilty of the same thing. George, continues the story of what happened to Moy, and how it affected them. "The insurgents had stripped him of his weapons and body armor and someone had covered him with a piece of cloth. Later, it became known to us that Moy's lifeless body had been filmed and put on the internet. This was a good thing! By seeing Moy's body, I also saw the image of the crucified Jesus making real for me the cost of our sins and the sacrifice a loving God was willing to make for me." "Since we lost our son, our family has been blessed with many 'God moments' or, as we call them, 'Holy Goosebumps.' We 'see' them now because He has softened our hearts so that we filter life's events through His Word, helping us see things through God's eyes. My most important encounters with Jesus have been my baptism and Moy's passage from grace to glory. I compare myself to the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26)." To commemorate Moy, the Langhorsts started the Moisés Langhorst Mission and Scholarship Fund. Last year, Moy's fund donated $2,000 to my seminary education at Concordia Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. George, Moy’s father, explains, "Our primary purpose for the fund is to bring the much- needed Gospel to Iraq and the Middle East. Secondly, and of much less importance, we remember Moy by what God gave Moy--the indescribable gift of faith and promise of life eternal. All glory be to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!" Lord, by the power of Your Word, turn our lives into a commitment of worship in humble gratitude to you. You have sent us into the world to love and serve you, and to give to us the courage and the faith to bring peace where there is strife. Grant us, Lord Christ, the willingness to forgive even as in your great compassion You forgive us. By the power of the Holy Spirit, help us to see as you see, so that through You, we may share the Good News about Jesus. Help us to trust your Word and use it to bring others to know Your Son and receive eternal life. To God, and His powerful Word, be the glory! Hicham Chehab is POBLO Missionary-at-Large in Chicagoland. April, 2007 (Edited by Karen Kogler and Rev. Dr. Bernie Lutz.)