Good morning! Like I said I would, I am here to share a few things I've learned from the first few chapters of the book "Muslims, Christians, and Jews." I also had a great conversation with the older men of our congregation, and I think we will learn a lot.
Carl Medearis begins his book with the opening statement, "Some people feel they need an enemy." (pg. 13) As we began with this statement in our group, we looked at how this mindset has proven very true among many Americans regarding those of Muslim persuasion. Our conversation began that looking at the fact that Muslims are people. People need respect, they need to know they are cared for, they need to know they are loved. This is the premise of the book - seeing Muslims as people. And what they most need is Jesus.
Jesus is our hope and He is the only one who can change us. As our conversation this morning continued, we looked at how Jesus is who we must be following and how He in our lives will have the most impact on anyone. One man spoke of how the words of these first chapters slightly rebuked him. He spoke how that is what we must be about and we must be living that before not only Muslims, but all people. This is the point Medearis is meaning to make in the entire book, but especially these opening chapters.
We then proceeded to look at the first two chapters. They dealt with the topics of Muhammad and the pillars of Islam. As we discussed Muhammad, the men expressed a respect for Muhammad. They, too, were a little surprised. They felt he should be respected for his zeal, albeit a little off, to bring people back to holy and decent living. They could not fault him for desiring that the crooked world return to a more conservative manner of life. They even expressed the basic tenets are good things that our society could learn from. Medearis writes how Muhammad was a leader of his people. And he did have zeal. Medearis shares what is learned about the life of Muhammad and how his desire for people to submit to God did change over his life into a political agenda. The book clearly delineates his change and desire, and finally his sway by wealth. And sadly, these last few things are what have stuck with some extremists of the Muslim persuasion.
However, they clearly, as does Medearis, made the distinction that much of Islam is based on works - righteousness, which is clearly in opposition to what we know about Jesus's saving work. The pillars of Islam are good things that are not out of line with our Scriptures and how we are to live. The men were a little surprised about this, and even how Muslims do have an understanding of who Jesus is. Again, the distinction was made that, rightly, that the attitude of the heart of these pillars is skewed. Whereas Christians perform (and they really should be!) these actions, we do it because the Holy Spirit is living in us and is the one actually doing the work. We are not doing it to appease God, but to show Him how much we love Him and want Him to be praised by this world. The attitude a Muslim does take toward God is one of appeasement.
Our last discussion was on the name of "Allah" and on characteristics of God. The book very clearly speaks of where the name "Allah" comes from, delineating from "Elohim", one of the Hebrew names for God, meaning "strong one" and presents the image of God as a judge and ruler. As the men expressed, and as Medearis lays out (magnificently, I might add), that this is a name, just as our name "God" is a name. They do not represent two different deities, but characteristics of the same Creator and God we worship. Then we discussed the differing views we have of God. Whereas a Muslim sees God as high and almighty, with a completely predestined will that none of us have any say in and being one who must be appeased and is unknowable, we see a God of love who longs to interact with us and be known. We discussed how the American church (and I speak in generalities) has brought God down too low and how Muslims have brought Him too high. We discussed how their view is not wrong, it's just not complete. This is one of our duties to our Muslim friends - to show them a more complete view of the one true God.
The depth of understanding gained by those who read this book grows vastly as we learn who these people are. They are people in need of Jesus. He alone is the one who is worthy of worship and praise. If He is worth it for our lives, we must believe He is worth it for all Muslims' lives as well.
And Jesus has given us a mission. It won't be easy, but it is worth it. I know I've said this before, but we must be adamant that He is worthy and worth all our lives. If we want to glorify Him, we must edify and build up the body! We must see that He is known to all and we are given a priority to the people around us.
I love reading Medearis's passion for the Muslims and I'm excited to share more with you as we learn together!
God's blessings to you this day! Love you all.
Brandon
No comments:
Post a Comment