Muslims_and_Christians.pdf

“As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”
—Genesis 17:20–21

“God Hears”—that is the English translation of the name “Ishmael.” So it is fitting that God would tell Abraham, “I have heard you” (v. 20).

“He Laughs”—that is the English translation of the name “Isaac.” Which name do you think best fits with a covenant relationship with God? Why would God choose to give the child of promise a name that means, “he laughs”?

Perhaps God chose the name “he laughs” for the promise-bearer to remind us that …

1. God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9)—hysterically higher!
2. God has things planned that we wouldn’t believe until we see them (Habakkuk 1:5).
3. God does things that are beyond what we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
4. With man it may be impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

So if I were to tell you that God intends to bring many Muslims (near and far) to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through your testimony, would you believe me? You might say, “I don’t know enough about Islam to do that! That’s a task for professional missionaries, not an ordinary Christian like me.” But those answers would be the equivalent of a “laugh” in response to God’s promise that all who are blessed with the faith of Abraham will bless all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:7–9).

Many of you live and work among people from different nations and religious beliefs. Some of them are likely Muslims. There are 150,000 Muslims in the Twin Cities and 110 makeshift mosques. Many of them have not responded to the gospel message because they have not yet heard it and seen it through a relationship with an authentic follower of Jesus Christ.

Most Muslims are taught that they are descendents of Abraham through Ishmael. God promises to bless Ishmael by multiplying Ishmael’s offspring into “a great nation” (v. 20). Sounds similar to the promises God made to Abraham and Isaac—but only Isaac’s offspring receive the blessing of a covenant relationship with God (v. 21). This is where the gospel comes in:

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
—Galatians 3:7–9

You don’t need to be an expert in Islamic studies to share the blessing of Abraham with your Muslim neighbors and coworkers. Muslims, like adherents to all other world religions, are taught to justify themselves before God by living according to a set of laws or rules. Those that God is drawing to himself will realize that they can never be perfectly righteous because they can never remove the power of sin in their lives.

These people are waiting for someone to tell them the Good News—the truth about the promised Messiah that will set them free from sin and death once and for all:

Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
—Galatians 3:11–15

Don McCurry, 18-year veteran missionary to Muslims, college professor, and author of Healing the Broken Families of Abraham, will encourage us during a special Missions Fellowship, Tuesday, October 11, and as he opens the Scriptures the first weekend of Global Focus (October 15/16). He will inform and inspire “ordinary Christians” like you and me to share the gospel more confidently with our Muslim neighbors (locally and globally).

Be encouraged! Take courage! God will do immeasurably more than you can ask or imagine. He intends to bless our Muslim neighbors through your faith—the blessing of Abraham. Remember, the righteous in Christ do not just possess a faith but “The righteous will live by faith.” Live, love, laugh … and let the sons and daughters of Ishmael know the truth that will set them free.

Yours in Christ,

Erik Hyatt
Pastor for Global Outreach