The truth behind Easter Sunday

Its crazy how much has happened through IV this past month. Wow, when we are open to the Lord's doings, it is amazing the journey he takes you on. This past week, I was able to talke with a friend who has been coming to IV. I met this young man while doing outreach one Friday night. He is from the Jordan and is Muslim. He says that he is a liberal Muslim and likes to learn about different faiths.

This young man has been coming to our large groups for two weeks now and this past week, God opened up huge doors. For discussion last Tuesday, we talked about Jesus as being 100% human. After shop was closed up, he and I discussed a bit more the content of large group. He said that he had never thought of Jesus that way....
We began to talk more about Allah and who Allah means to him. After a bit, I pointed out how I saw Allah. During my studies of World Religions at my Undergrad, I told him that I found Allah to be a god who struck fear into the hearts of his people. And that people serve him only out of fear. He replied,"Yes, I do see that." I told him that it breaks my heart that this is so. That Allah does not seem very merciful.

We discussed some other aspects to his faith, and found out that he did not know why people in their faith believe or do what they do. The last aspect he spoke of as based on the after life He said, "Well, you know, in our faith, when we die, Allah will ask us three questions. If we were good, we will be able to answer these questions and make it to heaven. If not, then we will go to hell." I asked him, "Well, do you know what these questions are?" He said he did not know. I asked, "So, you will die and not know for sure that you are going to heaven?...Even if you lived a good life, the best life, you may not go to heaven if you do not answer these questions correct?" He replied, Nodding, he said "Yes, yes. That is right." I said, "There is no way that anyone then will make it. So if I live a 99.9 % as a good person, if Allah is not feeling merciful that day, I will not go to heaven; I will not answer the questions right." He said, "Yes.I guess I have never thought of it that way."

I then said, "So you have no assurance,but only of living a good life and hopefully answer these three questions right?... See this is why I love Jesus. With him, I DO/we all have the assurance of heaven. I will not make it into heaven on my own account (which no matter how good I am I will not make it in, because all men have fallen short). I will get to go to heaven because God became man as Jesus, and Jesus died on the cross for all of my sins. I know when I die, I will not have to answer questions; I am guilty on my account, but Jesus writes his name across my list of wrongs and because of that, I will get to spend eternity with my God. Through Jesus, God shows mercy." At this point,my eyes began to well up with tears and I said to him, "(His name), I want you to have assurance such as this, that when you die you will, without a doubt, rest in the hope that you will go to heaven."
He was taken back a bit by my reaction I think. He paused, and then said, "Thank you....truly...um, no one has ever shown me these things, the difference.....thank you..."
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What a sweet truth we find in Easter Sunday. That we have assurance because of what Jesus did on the cross! Oh how our Lord works, and at just the right time, he will illumniate perfectly his truth. It will shine forth in the darkness, and help those who were blind to begin to see!!! Pray for Light to shine forth.