The Christian Church – Reaching Out To Muslims With the Message and Love of Christ – Summary of Jesus in the Holy Quran – Part 4

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Subject – The Christian Church – Reaching Out To Muslims With the Message and Love of Christ – Summary of Jesus in the Holy Quran – Part 4

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Sunday, 14^th of April 2019

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NUGGETS OF WISDOM

“We must keep our vision focused upon the ultimate purposes of God, or we will be distracted by the lesser purposes of God.

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“Love will break the power of fear that has held mankind since the beginning.

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“Our first calling is to fellowship, not works

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“True spiritual unity is based on unity of function, purpose, and love for one another, not just on agreement about every doctrine

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“The pure truth spoken in love, will always attract

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“Even the sharpest human intellect cannot find God unless the Holy Spirit reveals Him.

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“Throughout scripture, God has demonstrated His greatest power where there was the greatest darkness.

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“We all need one another to be the complete reflection of Him

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1 John 4:17-18 The Message (MSG)

To Love, to Be Loved

^17-18God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.

Key verses for Today:

1 John 4:7-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

God Is Love

⁷Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

¹³By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 The Message (MSG)

⁴Attention, Israel!

God, our God! God the one and only!

⁵Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!

^6-9Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.

Matthew 22:37-40 The Message (MSG)

^37-40Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”

John 14:6

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Mark 16:15

15 Then he said, “Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all.

2 Timothy 2:15

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2 Corinthians 5:20

20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Acts 2:38

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

John 17:20-23 Message

^20-23I’m praying not only for them
But also for those who will believe in me
Because of them and their witness about me.
The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—
Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
So they might be one heart and mind with us.
Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.
The same glory you gave me, I gave them,
So they’ll be as unified and together as we are—
I in them and you in me.
Then they’ll be mature in this oneness,
And give the godless world evidence
That you’ve sent me and loved them
In the same way you’ve loved me.

Introduction

Dear brethren, welcome to our forth part series which is meant to equip the Church of Jesus Christ to reach out to Muslims with the message and love of Christ. These series will clear up some misconceptions about Islam so you are better prepared to engage them for Christ by helping them to discover Christ for themselves. Last week we explored the story of Jesus as recorded by the Quran and hereunder is the summary from the Quran and interpretation by Islamic scholars:

1) That Mary was of a special birth, a virgin, born to the family of Imram, traced back to Adam, Noah and Abraham. She was brought up by Zechariah and was specially protected from satan. That God fed Mary in her prayer room miraculously
2) Visitation of angel Gabriel to Mary of the birth of Jesus the Messiah was recorded, and how Mary was going to give birth without a man but by the breath of God through the angel Gabriel, same way He created Adam without a father and a mother. He Jesus was going to bring a message confirming the old testament, the gospel and wisdom and He was going to mold clay into a bird and make it fly, heal the leprous, make the blind see and raise the dead. He Jesus was going to be a message to the world

3) When Jesus was born, He could even speak from the cradle to convince people not to condemn His mum, considering the fact that she delivered without a husband and that He is a prophet from God. Jesus said he was a slave of God

4) Jesus is a sign of God’s power, where God showed people that He could create Jesus without a father, as He created Adam without any parents. Jesus is also a sign that God is well able to resurrect all people after their death, since the one who creates from nothing is quite able to bring back to life. He is also a sign of the Day of Judgment, when he returns to the earth and slays the Anti-Christ in the End Times.

5) The Message of the gospel has guidance and light, confirming the Torah – “Gospel, in it was guidance and light, affirming the Torah that had come before it, and a guidance and an admonition for the pious.” (Quran 5:46)

“They make no distinction between Jesus and other prophets and they submit to message from God presented by these prophets – “Say, ‘We believe in God and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and to the prophet-descendants (of Jacob), and what has been given to Moses and Jesus, and what has been given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims (in submission) to Him.’” (Quran 2:136)”

6) Jesus should not be worship and that He is just a messenger and any one who worships Jesus is in error and an unbeliever. Trinity does not exist and God does not have a son – “O people of the Scripture, do not go to extremes in your religion, and do not say about God except the truth. The Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, is only a messenger from God and a word from Him (“Be” and it is), which He sent to Mary, and a soul from Him.[3] So, believe in God and His messengers, and do not say, “Three.” Stop, it is better for you. Indeed, God is one; exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And God is sufficient as a Determiner of all affairs. Never would the Messiah look down upon being a worshipper of God, nor would the angels who are close (to God).[4] And whoever looks down upon the worship of God and is arrogant, then He will gather them to Himself all together.” (Quran 4:171-172)

“This is Jesus, the son of Mary. And this is the statement of truth, which they doubt. It is not possible for God to take a son. Far is He above this! When He decides something, He just says to it, “Be,” and it is. (Jesus said), ‘And indeed God is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.’ But the sects disagreed (over the straight path), so woe to the disbelievers from meeting a horrible Day.” (Quran 19:34-37)

“And (remember) when Jesus, son of Mary, said, “O Children of Israel, I am the messenger of God to you confirming the Torah that came before me, and bringing good news of a messenger that will come after me, whose name will be Ahmad.[6] But when he came to them with clear proofs, they said, “This is clear magic.”[7] (Quran 61:6)

7) Jesus fed His disciples with bread from heaven but whoever disbelieves are punished

8) The Quran gives account that whoever follows Jesus teaching are Muslims and are superiors to all else and that Jesus never died on the cross but was taken up to heaven and to return a second time and God will judge on various matters – “Then when Jesus felt their (persistence in) disbelief, he said, ‘Who will champion with me God’s (cause)?’ The disciples said, ‘We are the champions (of the cause) of God. We believe in God, and be a witness that we are Muslims (submitting to Him). Our Lord, we have believed in what You have revealed, and we have followed the messenger, so write us down among the witnesses (to the truth).’ And they (who disbelieved) plotted, and God planned. And God is the best of the planners. When God said, ‘O Jesus, I will take you and raise you up to Me and clear you of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who follow you superior to those who disbelieve till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will all return to Me, and I will judge between you in the matters you used to disagree in.’” (Quran 3:52-55)

“And for of their saying, ‘We have killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the messenger of God.’ But they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was made to look like him to them. And those who disagree over him are in doubt (of killing him), they have no knowledge of it except the following of guesswork, and they did not kill him for certain. But God raised him up to Himself. And God is All-Powerful, All-Wise.” (Quran 4:157-158)

9) Anyone who calls Jesus God is already cursed and will end up in hell forever…see account “Then whoever argues with you about him (Jesus) after the knowledge that has come to you, (then) say, ‘Come and let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then we all pray for the curse of God to fall on those who lie.’ Indeed, this is the true story. And there is no deity that deserves to be worshipped except God. And indeed, God is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. But if they turn away (from accepting the truth), then indeed, God is aware of the corrupters. Say, ‘O people of the Scripture: Come to a just statement between us and you, that we worship none but God, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us takes others as lords besides God.’ But if they turn away, then say, ‘Be witnesses that we are Muslims (submitting to Him).’” (Quran 3:61-64)

“Surely, they have disbelieved those who say that God is the Christ, son of Mary. Say, ‘Who then has the least power against God if He were to destroy the Christ son of Mary, his mother, and everyone on earth?’ And God has supreme authority over the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them. He creates what He wills, and God is Able to do all things.” And the Jews and the Christians say, ‘We are the children of God and His loved ones.’ Say, ‘Why then does He punish you for your sins?’ Rather, you are only human beings from among those He has created. He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills. And God has supreme authority over the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them, and to Him is the return (of all).” (Quran 5:17-18)

“Surely, they have disbelieved who say, ‘God is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary.’ But the Messiah said, ‘O Children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord. Indeed, whoever sets up partners (in worship) with God, then God has forbidden him Paradise, and the Fire will be his home. And there is none to help the wrongdoers.’ Surely, disbelievers are those who say, ‘God is the third of three.’[7] But there is no god (that deserves to be worshipped) except One God. And if they do not stop what they are saying, the disbelievers among them will suffer a painful punishment. Will they not repent to God and seek His forgiveness? For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 5:72-74)

10) The Quran says Jesus is the straight path to God and paradise – “And he (Jesus) is a sign of (the coming of) the Hour, so do not doubt it. And follow Me, this is a straight path (leading to God and His paradise).” (Quran 43:61)

On the day of resurrection, this what the Holy Quran says will happen to the people of the scripture –

“‘When God will say,’ O Jesus, son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit (Gabriel) and you spoke to people in the cradle and in old age; and when I taught you the Book, wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel; and when you made out of clay the likeness of a bird, by My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My permission, and you healed the blind and the leper by My permission, and when you brought the dead to life by My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from (killing) you when you came to them with clear proofs, but the disbelievers among them said, ‘This is nothing but plain magic.’” (Quran 5:110)

“And God will say (on the Day of Resurrection), ‘O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to people, ‘Worship me and my mother instead of God?’[13]’ He will say, ‘Glory be to You! It is not for me to say what I have no right (to say). If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is (hidden) in myself and I do not know what is in Yours. Indeed, You are the Knower of the unseen.’[14] I did not tell them except what You commanded me, ‘Worship God, my Lord and your Lord.’ And I was a witness over them while I was among them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things. If You punish them, they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, indeed You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”[15] God will say, ‘This is the Day when the truth will benefit those who were truthful. To them belong gardens with rivers running through it (in Paradise), where they will stay forever. God is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is the great success.’ To God belongs the heavens and the earth and whatever is within them, and He is Able to do all.” (Quran 5:116-120)

11) The Islamic scholars say one of the disciple was the one crucified so that he can be saved in paradise – The resemblance of Jesus was put on another, and it is he, not Jesus, who was crucified. According to several commentaries on the Quran, the one who was crucified was one of the disciples, accepting the resemblance of Jesus, and martyring himself to save Jesus in return for paradise.

12) The Jews say Ezra is the Son of God and Christians say Messiah is the Son of God according to Islamic records –

“And the Jews say, ‘Ezra is the son of God,’ and the Christians say, ‘The Messiah is the son of God.’ That is the fabrication of their mouths. They are imitating the claims of the disbelievers of before. May God destroy them, how they turn away (from the truth). They have taken their religious scholars and their monks as lords instead of God (by disobeying God and obeying them), and (they also have taken as their Lord) the Messiah, son of Mary. But they were commanded to worship only one God, none has the right to be worshipped except Him. Exalted is He above what they associate (with Him).”[9] (Quran 9:30-31)

“O you who believe, indeed many religious scholars and monks eat away people’s wealth unjustly, and turn (others) away from the way to God. And those who treasure gold and silver, and do not spend it in the Way of God, then give them the news of a painful punishment.” (Quran 9:34)

Next week God willing, we shall be looking at Islam and Jihad

Conclusion and prayer.

The God we serve and worship is a God of relationship and a God of love. Not the way the world loves…It is love without strings attached. God’s kind of perfect love cast out all fear. God, the one we worship as Christians is love. Over 360 times in the scripture, He says fear not..He is so loving that we can talk to Him and He talks back to us. Speak to Him today.. Sincerely ask Him to reveal Himself to you today..He is waiting, knocking at the door of your heart. Are you ready? Oh Lord speak, reveal Yourself to sincere seeker today and always in Jesus name, Amen!

Shalom!

Monday Ogwuojo Ogbe – E-discipleship @