Sheep Among Wolves
If they can do it, we can do it.
Iran has been in the news a lot for the last few weeks, following the Gazan attack on Israel. Iran is one of the nations that funds Hamas and helps it acquire the weapons and training to attack Israel.
Looking at things from a purely human point of view, Iran is an evil regime that funds terrorism. It kills innocent people and destabilizes the whole of the Middle East with its actions.
While, on a human level, I hate the Iranian regime, God frequently tells me, “Not so fast, David. I love those people. And my Son is calling them to himself.”
A couple years ago, our small group watched Sheep Among Wolves, Volume II. To say that this changed my life is an understatement. I can’t stress enough how impactful this film was for me. (Thanks, to my small group leaders for finding this and showing it.)
If you haven’t yet seen it, I urge you to spend some time watching. It’s powerful.
Most of the film is a series of interviews with Iranian Christians who have met Jesus while under horrific persecution. They have made the decision to follow Him and reject Islam. If they are discovered by their Muslim friends, family, or co-workers, they could be reported to the Iranian state and be jailed, raped, or killed. To follow Jesus is not a decision that they have taken lightly. It’s literally a life-or-death commitment for them.
In spite of this, they have believed Jesus and trusted Him. They know that other Muslims need Him just as much as they do. They believe in the Great Commission as a commandment from our savior, to be obeyed regardless of the cost. So, in a country where having a conversation about Jesus might end your life, they are reaching out to their friends, family, and co-workers, the very people who could turn them in to the state, to have exactly those kinds of conversations.
In Iran, the Christians just believe Jesus, do what he did, and leave the rest to him. It’s a simple Christianity, uncluttered with the trappings of the West.
In the free, western democracies that most of us live in, there is zero risk in having a discussion about Jesus with anybody. The worst they can do is say, “No thanks. That’s not for me.”
But in the West, we debate “What is faith?” We go to seminars on church planting, church growth, and “seeker sensitivity.” We ritualize church to make it seem more spiritual. Finally, we celebrate a handful of new disciples and tell ourselves, “Job well done.”
The difference between these Iranian Christians and the average Western Christian is pretty stark.
How many unbelieving people have you talked to about Jesus this month? How many new disciples are you working with? Are you taking your talents and investing them in the Kingdom, or are you burying them in a hole (Matthew 25:14-30)?
Personally, I don’t think I’ve had a single conversation with an unbeliever about Jesus this month. Any discussion of Jesus typically occurs with my “church friends.” They are wonderful people, to be sure, but I’m not helping to save them; they are already saved.
The church is not a building. The church is us. Why aren’t we obeying Jesus?
When I see a film like this, it is deeply convicting. Why am I hanging back and worried about a little embarrassment? Why am I not praying regularly for my friends, relatives, and co-workers? Why am I afraid to speak to people around me about Jesus? How can I be worried about mere embarrassment when these Iranian Christians are risking their very lives?
(Note: This is Sheep Among Wolves, Volume II. There is a Volume I. I found Volume II to be more impactful for me, personally, but Volume I is also great. Volume I was filmed as ISIS was in full swing and deals a lot with it. I also recommend it, but you can start with Volume II without any requirement to have seen Volume I.)
Today’s Prayer
Holy Father, who was, and is, and is yet to come, we know that you have commanded us to go to the nations and make disciples of everyone. You have sent us your Holy Spirit to assist us with that task. Help us to believe your many promises and take you at face value, just as a child does with a human father. Help us to reach out to everybody around us and give them the Good News of Jesus and his forgiveness of sins. Identify for us those people who will be receptive to your message, those that you are calling to yourself, those that need Jesus desperately. Give us the courage to deliver your message, regardless of the cost to ourselves. Keep the Christians living under persecution safe and protected so that they can continue the work that you have given to all of us. Amen.
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Thank you for posting this. VOM reports that Iranians are experiencing dreams and visions of Jesus at a mind blowing rate. My pastor told us that he met a pastor who saves failing churches in America. He said that many are being turned into mosques. We really need a missionary movement right here in the US. Thank you for posting this movie, I can't wait to watch it.
I met a young Muslim man today (28 years old) at the fall festival at Spooners Farm (Orting, Washington). He was making my Philly cheese steak sandwich.
Very polite. Very friendly.
We were chatting as he was cooking. He has an Arabic word tattooed on his arm (he had at least a half dozen things on his arms), and I asked him what that one meant.
He said, "Shalom, peace." I though it was lovely and said so.
I asked him if it referred to faith, and he said yes, and that's when he said he was Muslim.
I asked about the tattoos, telling him when I was in Israel and in Jordan, I saw many Muslim men, none with tattoos.
He said he was born here and was no big deal here, compared to there, but he wondered if he would be accepted in Lebanon as easily (where his family is from).
I listened and said I was unsure.
He said he really didn't care as he was going to do his life his way. He would just imagine it would be a surprise.
I said while I had no tattoo showing it, I had once been where he was in the mindset of "doing it my way" and how I surprised my family when I gave that up to follow my God and Savior who gave peace both here and eternally.
Smiling, I asked him to imagine his family's reaction if he did that...
He said he loved peace, but loved his life and doing this his way...that was more him, and that God put him on the earth to enjoy life, so he was living it.
I told him that I did understand as I had been of the same mindset before I found real peace... But I did say how much I did enjoy my life and felt like living for Christ was even more enjoyable than living for me ever was.
He just smiled, gave me my sandwich, and said he wanted to do things his way...
I thanked him for the great conversation, and how interesting it was to go from "hello" to a real conversation about faith in 2.2 seconds after meeting.
He said he enjoyed it too. And I left to rejoin my family. Sadly, I didn't get his name. But I am praying God is able to take even one word of our conversation and use that to nudge his heart toward Messiah.
It was not hard to want to witness, but more challenging to do it when A) time was limited,
B) I feel a relationship is needed before going to more than just an easy-going banter takes place
C) I personally have minimal knowledge of "westernized Muslims" and what they are like in their "traditional heritage type of faith" versus a "Middle Eastern, live in that environment daily and live that faith daily" kinda faith.
So I am unsure where to even go in that conversation.
I mean no disrespect...it just appeared he had long given up the more traditional cultural behaviors for more American ones.
He reminded me of my Christian, Catholic, and Jewish friends who are more "their belief" in name only, not really followers of the religion.
But I have no idea on how to broach that at all. Lol..
But I am praying for him...
The Muslims here may have it more difficult to accept Messiah than the Middle Eastern Muslims...
There, things are very difficult, but that is an easier way to come to Christ for many... was for me... when things are difficult, it is easier to look up..
When things are easy, it is easy to fool yourself into thinking, "you got this."
Praying for everyone these days... everywhere I go, I see so many people, and my first thought nowadays is, "are they saved?"
Time is so short.