One week before we arrived in Egypt, there was a mission team of Egyptians and Sudanese that were ministering in Sudan. Their goal was to get to various villages that have not received much attention in regards to receiving the Gospel. As you may know, Sudan is in a militant state right now, and on top of the war, the poverty, the political corruption, and the genocide, there is persecution towards Christians.
An Egyptian friend of mine, named Bassem, was leading this team. Their trip was very successful, and on the last day, they got into their van to return home, and began heading north towards Egypt.
Prior to reaching the border, the van was stopped, and attacked by Islamic fundamentalists because they knew there were Christians inside. They had fully-automatic weapons, and with these guns, they opened fire. The driver somehow managed to drive away, but not after 4 members of the team were shot dead, and 11 others were wounded. Bassem survived.
The real “inconvenient truth” has nothing to do with global warming. It has everything to do with Jesus Christ, the Cross, and the Word of God. The world cannot deal with this man from Nazareth or His death and resurrection. The Gospel confronts people where they are, and it is the most inconvenient of truths. It does not allow you to live any way you want. In infringes on one’s personal lifestyle. There are parameters, restrictions, and guidelines to follow. In humanity’s quest for personal wealth, fame and power, the Gospel is deemed foolish because it does not focus on such things. In fact, it speaks to pursuing their opposites. And what kind of person believes in a man that lived twenty centuries ago, supposedly resurrected, and continues to monitor our lives through some ethereal method?
Whenever I am in a country such as Egypt, a country dominated by a man-made religion or cult, there is one verse that just seems to make so much sense. In 1 Corinthians 1:18, Paul writes: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Until you talk to a devout Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, or any other spiritually misguided person, you may not fully understand the deep reality behind this verse. To the unbeliever, Jesus Christ and His life appears suffocating and terribly inconvenient. But to us who have experienced a true transformation, the Cross of Christ has set us free eternally, and His power is active in our lives every day.
