Participants:
Series Code: JFAN
Program Code: JFAN000161S
|
00:00 (dramatic music)
00:21 - Hello and welcome to "Jesus for Asia Now" 00:24 I'm Natalie Wood, and John is here with me on the set today. 00:27 And we have a special guest. 00:28 Dr. Samaan, we're so glad you're here. 00:31 - Thank you. 00:32 - Can you tell us where you're from? 00:34 - I was born south of the biblical city of Antioch in Syria, 00:40 on the Mediterranean. 00:41 - Okay. 00:42 - This is a place where the followers 00:44 of Christ were called Christians for the first time. 00:46 You find in Acts 11:26. 00:49 Why were they called Christians for the first time? 00:51 It was a nickname, derogatory nickname 00:54 because all they thought about, 00:55 all they talked about was Jesus. 00:57 And so, they nicknamed them Christians and the name stuck. 01:03 And so that inspired me to entitle my ministry Christ's Way 01:05 'cause I want people everywhere to do things Christ's Way. 01:09 - Amen. Amen. Amen. 01:11 - So you started out as a student coming to America? 01:15 Or how did you get to America? 01:16 - Well, I came to America when I was a teenager 01:18 and I attended Portland Adventist Academy 01:20 in the State of Oregon. 01:22 And I went to Walla Walla College after that 01:25 and met my wife there. 01:27 - Okay. 01:28 - So your parents came over and brought you to 01:30 - Nobody came over. 01:32 I came by myself. - And why did you- 01:34 It was very difficult to leave the country. 01:38 - Yeah. 01:39 - And so they were not allowed to come out of the country. 01:42 And after saying goodbye to them when I was a teenager, 01:46 I never saw them again. 01:48 - Really? - Oh wow. 01:50 Never saw them again. - And they've passed away. 01:51 - So if you have Asian parents, take advantage of that 01:55 and show them as much love as you can 01:57 while they're still living. 01:59 - Wow. Wow. So then you, why did you come to America? 02:03 - I came here because of freedom, 02:05 because the opportunities America provided to study, 02:10 to do something one's life. 02:12 Because in my part of the world as a Seventh Day Adventist, 02:15 it was hard to really function as an evangelist, as a pastor 02:22 because our church wasn't accepted 02:26 in that part of the world, to say the least. 02:29 - So you were converted and was in love with Christ 02:33 before you came to America 02:35 - Before. 02:36 In fact, my parents became Seventh Day Adventists. 02:38 I was born in a Seventh Day Adventist home. 02:42 And my parents, people asked me, "Well, are you Muslim? 02:47 Do you have a Muslim background?" 02:49 Because the majority are Muslims. 02:51 - [John] Right. 02:52 - But I come from the Christian background 02:54 and my parents traced their background 02:56 all the way to our first missionary, the Apostle Paul. 02:59 - Wow. - Who spent a year, 03:03 three years south of Damascus, 03:05 not only preaching, but telling the gospel. 03:08 So it was hard for fellow Greek Orthodox Christians 03:14 to accept this new cult, Seventh Day Adventism. 03:17 That's why there was some opposition. 03:19 - I see. 03:20 So then how did they become Adventists? 03:22 - Through the efforts of missionaries. 03:24 - Really? 03:26 - And my parents were known to be honest people, 03:29 honest at heart. 03:30 When they learned the truth, 03:31 they accepted it regardless of consequences. 03:35 And they suffered a lot because, you know, 03:38 Adventism was like considered a cult. 03:41 Especially we learned to keep the seven day Sabbath. 03:46 And our neighbors, Israel kept the Sabbath. 03:50 So they associate us with being Zionists, 03:54 even though we're not, 03:55 we're just trying to follow the Bible. 03:57 - And in that part of the country, 03:58 that's not a good, - Not a good thing at all. 04:01 The other thing was, you know, 04:03 we were taught by the missionaries not to carry weapons 04:09 to fight and to kill, okay. 04:12 But in that part of the world, you know, Syria and Israel 04:17 been enemies for many, many years. 04:20 And so if you refuse to defend your homeland 04:23 and you kept their Sabbath, 04:25 you were not very especially accepted, yes. 04:28 - Wow. That's tough. 04:30 - Wow. - That's tough. 04:31 - So we can say that that's really 04:34 what caused a lot of the opposition, 04:37 because they identified us with Israel. 04:40 - Right. 04:42 The reason why we invited you on this show is, you know, 04:45 we're Jesus for Asia. 04:46 That's our ministry. Our focus is on Asia. 04:48 And some people think why such a narrow focus? 04:51 The truth is that Asia goes all the way 04:53 from Japan and the East to Turkey in the west, 04:59 including Israel, Syria, Jordan, 05:02 but not down into Africa. 05:04 So Asia encompasses all those countries. 05:07 So Syria is an Asian country. 05:10 - So I'm so glad to think of it this way. 05:12 I'm a part of the Asian ministry. 05:14 But you know, I tell this to people from Asia, 05:17 be the Indians, Koreans, Pakistanis, 05:19 by the way, I'm a fellow Asian. 05:20 They look at me and say, "No, you're not." 05:23 "Why not?" 05:24 "You don't look like it." 05:25 I say, "I was born in Syria 05:28 and Syria is the other edge of Asia. 05:30 Please include us in your continent, you huge continent." 05:34 And they smile and they look at the map 05:36 and then they agree with me. 05:38 Or you can go all the way from Syria, 05:39 then north of that is Turkey. 05:41 Turkey is a big country. 05:42 And you have Dardanelles Strait and then Europe starts. 05:46 - Correct. Correct. 05:48 - And so Turkey is really at the edge of the, 05:51 as you said, Japan is on the other side, 05:53 Turkey is on the other side. 05:54 - Correct. So Asia is really a large, 05:56 - Oh well, Asia's the largest continent. 05:59 - Yeah. 06:01 And it's also home to more than half the world's population. 06:04 - Exactly. - Yeah. 06:05 - And you chose the right continent. 06:07 You know why? 06:08 Because Jesus came from Asia. 06:10 - Jesus was Asian. - Jesus was Asian. Exactly. 06:12 - That's right. 06:14 And so He was born and raised with an Asian mindset. 06:17 - Exactly. 06:18 - And a lot of the ways that he spoke 06:19 was related to Asian. 06:20 Like He would call his mother woman. 06:23 - Yes, yes. - And in American mindset, 06:25 that's a little disrespectful. 06:27 - Yes. 06:28 You must have read my book, "The Middle East Messiah." 06:30 Yeah, you can go to Asia to India and say, 06:32 "I'm here to present to you the Asian Messiah." 06:36 - There you go. Wow. 06:38 In fact, that's one of my desires is, 06:40 because I know in Thailand they say that 06:43 Christianity is a western religion. 06:46 And I wanna take a pastor to Israel 06:49 and follow the life of Christ 06:51 and title the series, "Jesus Was Asian." 06:54 - Right. Right. 06:55 - You know, to break through that barrier, 06:57 that misconception that- 06:58 - Isn't it amazing that God's thoughts, 07:01 God's divine thoughts were revealed 07:03 through a Middle Eastern mindset. 07:05 - Wow. 07:06 - And so, you know, when I wrote this book, 07:08 "The Middle East Messiah," trying to His culture 07:10 and the way He thought, so we can appreciate Him more. 07:15 And so, what you mentioned earlier is true. 07:17 - So tell me, 07:18 coming from an Asian mindset and understanding Jesus 07:21 and the gospel through the filter of culture, 07:25 the western culture versus Eastern culture, 07:27 what is the main thing that you see 07:29 that Americans may not understand about the life of Christ, 07:32 about His ministry that would be helpful 07:35 if we understood the Asian mindset? 07:37 - Well, that's a very good question. 07:39 And there is so many ways you can enrich 07:42 and deepen your relationship with Jesus, 07:43 by understanding His culture. 07:45 Give you one example. - Okay. 07:47 - You don't want many. One example, a short one. 07:50 - Okay? 07:51 - That's when Jesus washed the feet of Judas. 07:54 On the night he was ready to betray Him, 07:57 to sell Him for 30 piece of silver, the price of a slave, 08:01 can you imagine selling your best friend? 08:04 But Jesus loved him anyway. 08:05 In the western in the world, 08:06 we appreciate Jesus for His love, forgiveness, grace, 08:09 but it's deeper than that, 08:11 because in that culture, maybe in India, I don't know, 08:14 but at least in my culture, 08:17 the head represents the most noble 08:20 and most sacred part of the body, 08:22 and the feed represents the opposite, 08:24 the most base, the most filthy part of the body. 08:27 And so when Jesus lowered Himself 08:31 on a carpet like this, no chairs, no couches, 08:35 He lowered himself almost His head, 08:38 touching Judas' feet as He wash his feet, 08:41 what He was saying so graphically. 08:44 To us today, to His disciples, to everybody who understands 08:48 that narrative from that culture, 08:50 Judas, no matter what you're doing, 08:53 I want my best to reach you at your worst. 08:57 And so what's the worst thing about you? 08:59 What's the thing you're most ashamed of? 09:01 You can't tell anybody. 09:03 Christ is telling you I want my best, 09:06 which is to help you at your worst. 09:09 - Wow. - So that deepens the bond 09:10 and many other examples. 09:12 - So it's okay for us to invite Christ 09:14 into our most shameful moments. 09:16 - Yes. 09:17 Well, not only invite him, he invites Himself. 09:20 - Wow. 09:21 - He took the initiative when nobody want 09:23 to wash anybody's feet, He took the initiative 09:25 to approach Judas and say, 09:27 "I'm taking initiative to show you, 09:29 I'm eager to do my best, 09:31 to help you at your worst, and he can do that." 09:33 So everybody has hope to be saved. 09:37 - That's one thing I've been rereading your book, 09:38 "Christ's Way to Pray." 09:40 And that's one thing that I just, 09:42 it's stuck with me again this time, 09:45 is that the uttermost, you know, 09:47 He wants to save to the uttermost. 09:49 And it's like there's no part that he can't reach. 09:53 - He's able to say to the uttermost, 09:56 from the guttermost to the uttermost, 10:00 from the feet to the head, from our worst to Christ's best. 10:06 It cannot get better than that. 10:07 - Right. 10:08 - And you know, when it says at Hebrew 7:25, 10:10 "He's able to save to the uttermost." 10:12 Nobody can do that except Jesus, by the way. 10:14 His specialty is salvation. 10:16 What's the condition? 10:18 All God's promise are on condition. 10:20 Those who come to Him, we got to respond. 10:23 We got to be a part of that. 10:24 Those who come to Him. 10:26 And then there's the word of causation 10:28 because, why is He able to save to the uttermost? 10:30 Because He ever lives to make intercession for them. 10:35 Oh Christ intercession in the heavenly sanctuary 10:40 is the anchor for salvation. 10:43 Because on the cross, 10:44 He provided perfect provision for our salvation. 10:48 On the cross, in the sanctuary above, 10:50 He provides perfect application. 10:52 The two go together. They're both important. 10:54 - Yes. Yes. 10:55 So what he's done on the cross, 10:57 He is currently now in heaven applying it 11:01 to our individual moment and our individual need. 11:04 - Because you know, even, 11:05 I've been to the holy land as you have been, 11:08 and Christ is not hanging on the cross. 11:11 You know, I mean, - Amen. 11:12 - The folks on the cross, that's wonderful. 11:13 Without Jesus's death, 11:14 nobody would have any chance of salvation. 11:17 But He's not there anymore. - Yes. 11:19 - Nowhere to be found. 11:20 Unlike real estate agents say, location, location. 11:23 Where's the location of Jesus? 11:25 In the heavenly sanctuary above. 11:26 - Right. - What's he doing? 11:27 He's ministering in our behalf. 11:30 You see, he's our advocate and we are his clients. 11:34 And you know, when we trust Him, He never loses a case. 11:37 So our focus should be the cross. 11:40 But what happens on the cross 11:42 takes all the way through sanctuary. 11:44 Because this where he applies that provision. 11:47 - Yes, yes, yes. 11:48 So he is ever living. - Ever living. 11:50 That's interesting, you mentioned ever living, 11:53 you have the word living and interceding. 11:57 He ever lives to intercede. 11:59 Theologically they are connected, aren't they? 12:00 He lives, what kind of a life. Perfect life. 12:03 Perfect righteous. 12:04 That's why He's able to intercede so powerfully. 12:06 So living goes with interceding. 12:09 - So what does it mean to intercede? 12:11 Is there Asian concepts around the concept of interceding? 12:14 - Perfectly on, yes, 12:16 because you know, in a conflict, 12:19 in a crisis you got to have intermediaries. 12:23 And that's a custom, maybe in India, 12:25 certainly in my part of the world, 12:26 you have to have people intervening 12:29 between you and your opponent. 12:32 And so, the concept of intercession is so indispensable. 12:38 Why? 12:39 Because while we were enemies of God, 12:43 Jesus came to reconcile us. 12:45 - Wow. 12:47 - Even though while we're enemies. 12:49 And so His intercession was so indispensable. 12:54 Without that will not make it. 12:55 - Wow. Wow. 12:56 - Especially the Bible calls Him, 12:59 and that's another thing about the culture, 13:01 and that is, you know, Jesus is unique. 13:05 You know, some translation say begotten John 3:16, 13:09 but the word begotten doesn't exist in the original Greek. 13:12 - Really? 13:13 - Just the word, one adjective for Jesus, 13:15 for gospel of the world that He gave His Monogenes son. 13:21 And Monogenes, one of a kind. 13:24 Mono means one, genes, 13:26 one of a kind or unique. 13:28 And people say, "So what's difference?" 13:29 It makes every difference to think of Jesus in a unique way. 13:32 Why? Because we got unique problems in this world. 13:35 What are the unique problems? 13:36 Nobody can solve. - Yes. 13:38 - And that's sin and death. 13:42 - Yes. 13:43 - No psychologists, no psych, 13:45 nobody can solve the problem of sin except Jesus. 13:48 He fought sin was sin and He won. 13:50 And He fought death with death and He won 13:53 because he's a source of life 13:55 and He's a source of all righteousness. 13:57 Nobody else is a source. 13:59 That's why He's unique 14:00 in solving the problems of this world. 14:02 - Yeah. 14:04 Whoever heard of a God becoming part of his creation. 14:07 - Yes. 14:08 Now we, in all world religions, 14:10 I teach a course in world religions, 14:12 human beings try to go higher into God. 14:18 God in the Christian faith, 14:21 He comes to our level, even to our feet. 14:24 Can you imagine the creator of the universe 14:28 comes to our feet. 14:30 That's the most humble thing you could think of. 14:34 And you know, coming from, I mean serving in Asia, 14:37 I don't know if you remember this story, 14:41 when there was a religious convention, 14:43 I think either India or I think in India, 14:47 and they asked representatives, 14:49 all the world religious to bring a picture 14:53 to convey the essence of their religion. 14:57 And so, a Christian group brought very unusual picture, 15:01 Jesus washing the feet of Judas 15:06 to show our God condescends to our level, 15:10 to ground zero, to pick us up from where we are, 15:13 from the guttermost to the uttermost. 15:14 So that was a very impressive picture. 15:17 That's what describes Christianity to the world. 15:21 Our God is so humble, He's willing to empty Himself, 15:27 subject Himself to all the abuse 15:28 because He loves us so much, 15:29 He wants to save us in the worst way. 15:31 - You have been a professor 15:33 at several different universities. 15:37 You were a professor at Andrews University for 10 years. 15:39 - Yeah, the best two universities. 15:41 - The best two. - In Adventist education. 15:44 Andrews University Theological Seminar. 15:47 And then Southern, 15:48 I taught at Southern for 20 years and I retired. 15:52 And now I'm called Professor Emeritus. That's my title. 15:56 - Okay. So what was the thrust? 15:58 What was the main objective 16:00 or purpose and goal of your teaching? 16:02 What was it that you were trying to teach all those years? 16:05 Can you summarize it? 16:06 - You know, John, you asked the best questions. 16:08 Like it's in my head. 16:10 I was hoping you would ask such a question. 16:12 My passion, my first and foremost priority, 16:16 is to build up my student's faith in Jesus in the Bible, 16:23 in our distinctive, precious message 16:25 so they can witness with conviction 16:28 and lead people to Jesus. 16:30 It's to help them become more and more Christ-centered 16:35 in everything they do. 16:36 You know, like you mentioned about "Christ's Way to Pray." 16:39 You know, there are many books written on prayer. 16:41 People have all kinds to pray. 16:44 But why not choose Christ's ways to pray? 16:47 It's the best way, and to me, the only way, 16:49 it's the most powerful thing in the world. 16:51 - Well, he was very, - How to pray like Jesus. 16:53 - He had a very successful prayer life. Jesus did. 16:56 - Well, you know, I mean, I'm learning more and more. 16:58 It's a gold mine of knowledge about how to pray like Jesus. 17:03 - Yes. Yes. 17:04 I was recently in Israel 17:06 and I was on the Mount of Transfiguration Sabbath mourning. 17:09 And I was reading through "The Desire Of Ages" 17:11 of that section when he was up on the mountain praying. 17:14 And He prayed, 17:17 the whole transfiguration event was a result of his prayer. 17:21 He's asking for that. 17:23 I always thought that somehow this was the plan 17:25 and He knew to go up and meet the father at that time. 17:28 And the father had arranged for this thing to happen. 17:31 It was Jesus' prayer. 17:33 - Exactly. - Sounds powerful prayer. 17:34 - Powerful prayer. Yes, yes. 17:36 - What if we started praying with the realization 17:39 that this is what's possible in prayer. 17:42 Something like that. 17:43 - And we're not saying that we're going to have 17:45 a transfiguration experience, but we would rise higher 17:48 in our genuine spirituality becomes so close to God 17:52 that you sense you in the very presence of God 17:55 and that you're doing God's will and God is near to you. 17:59 And things would happen that wouldn't happen otherwise. 18:01 - Exactly. 18:03 - If we did not pray this kind of praying. 18:04 - [John] Exactly. 18:05 - But most of our praying today 18:05 is kind of shallow, you know, 18:07 Lord, please help me to be ready. 18:09 I hope I'm good enough. Be with all the missionaries. 18:12 I mean, I don't mind praying for missionaries but like, 18:14 and be with all the call porters and I hope I'm ready. 18:17 And no, but we need to sit in high places with Jesus. 18:21 And really reach His heart and His passion. 18:24 - Yes, exactly. 18:25 - And be totally intimate with Him. 18:27 - We are starting to do a new type of evangelism, 18:33 soul winning and entering unentered areas in our ministry. 18:39 And the technique now is praying. 18:41 - Technique. - Yeah. The method. 18:43 - Yeah. - The technique, 18:45 the method is to pray for God to do his will in that place. 18:49 - But prayer is indispensable in evangelism. 18:52 You know, Jesus linked evangelism with praying. 18:56 - Yeah. - Look at Matthew 9. 18:58 He said, "The harvest is plentiful, is ripe." 19:01 And people wonder, you know, is it really? 19:04 I don't see how it's ripe? 19:05 But Jesus takes the best surveys. 19:09 How does he do it? 19:11 He looks directly at people's hearts 19:13 and he discovers their longing for something 19:16 this world cannot give them. 19:17 We should believe what He says 19:19 and assume everywhere we go in this world, 19:21 people are longing for something better. 19:23 We just need to provide the right, safe, loving environment, 19:27 which they can tell us who they are. 19:29 And what else did He say? 19:31 Ah, so now that the harvest is ripe, we need to pray. 19:35 - [John] Yeah. 19:36 - Pray for the Lord to have sent forth labor. 19:39 So we have the linkage between evangelism and praying. 19:43 - Yes. 19:44 And we found that going into places 19:45 where there are no evangelists, there are no missionaries, 19:48 there's no witness at all that we don't know what to do. 19:52 So we've decided, and we have started to pray. 19:57 And you know, in the last four years we've now, 20:00 we're now into three cities 20:01 that have never had Adventist presence before ever. 20:04 So this has been the most effective evangelism 20:07 method we've ever stumbled across. 20:10 And it's not a method, it's prayer. 20:11 It's putting God back in charge of His work. 20:13 - Instead of looking for a method, 20:15 you don't have to look any further, pray. 20:18 That's the best program you can have 20:20 because God can begin to open doors that you cannot open. 20:23 - Yes. - Right. 20:24 - [John] Exactly. Exactly. 20:25 - And then it's really His method. 20:26 - His method. - Right. 20:29 - Which He changes everywhere, you know. 20:31 He's like got unique people everywhere. 20:34 He's got unique ways to reach each of those people. 20:36 - And just like the approach of the Apostle Paul, 20:38 he said, you know, I try to meet people where they are. 20:41 If they're Greeks, if they're Jews. 20:44 So we have to be sensitive enough and caring enough 20:49 to put ourself in the place of other people 20:50 and say, if they were to come to me, 20:52 how would I have liked them to approach me? 20:54 - Yeah, yeah, yeah. 20:56 So this, what we're introducing, what you're introducing 20:58 is not necessarily a religion, but a person. 21:02 - A person. That's good. 21:04 John, you're saying just the perfect things. 21:07 Appreciate that. 21:08 Well, look, you talk about methods. 21:10 - Yeah. 21:11 - We start with prayer, but Christ has a method. 21:13 In fact, I wrote a book called, "Christ's Method Alone." 21:16 - Okay. 21:17 - And it's outlined by four powerful verbs. 21:20 - I was hoping you would bring this up. Yeah. 21:23 - See, I know what you're thinking, Natalie. 21:25 Anyway, and they start, 21:26 they Illustrate through letter S, you know. 21:30 That's Christ's approach. - Okay. 21:32 - The savior of the world, who especially is salvation, 21:35 did not start by talking to people about salvation. 21:38 You know, like, we got to save you right now. 21:40 No matter how you feel, you got to be saved now. 21:42 No, He start with socialize. 21:46 That's a very powerful thing to socialize. 21:49 Then sympathize. Why sympathize? 21:53 When you get to know people better, you know, 21:55 you're able to sympathize with them more intelligently, 21:58 then after that, we serve and finally we save. 22:02 So socialize, sympathize, serve, and save. 22:06 That was Christ's approach. 22:08 The most wonderful approach that we should use everywhere. 22:12 - Beautiful. 22:13 - You know, we're not here to, 22:15 what are you here for? 22:16 Well, we are we here to present this program? 22:17 No, no. 22:18 Before you present the program, 22:19 are you interested in me as a human being? 22:21 - Yes. 22:22 - So, did Jesus do that? Yes. 22:24 Look at Zacchaeus. Why? 22:26 Zacchaeus was detest by everybody. 22:29 He was so afraid to show his face. 22:32 He stole from people many times over what the owed in taxes. 22:37 And Rome was behind him to protect him. 22:39 And so, but he heard about Jesus. 22:41 And Jesus was a nice person, a loving person. 22:44 He wasn't like the other people. 22:46 But he had to see his face. 22:47 You know, he climbed the sycamore tree 22:49 hoping nobody would see him. 22:51 But Jesus saw him. 22:54 And he started socializing with him. 22:55 - Right. - Yeah. 22:57 He didn't say, "You sinner, come down here. 23:00 I want to save you right now," you Know. 23:02 Like, no. What did he say? 23:04 He call him by name. 23:06 And Zacchaeus felt good. 23:07 But he knows my name. I must be important to Jesus. 23:10 That's why I memorize the names of my students. 23:13 I work at it. 23:14 So I pleasantly surprise him by saying to them, 23:17 John, Kathy, Hunter, whatever. 23:19 He saw Zacchaeus. 23:21 And what else did he say? 23:22 Not just say, hi, Zacchaeus. 23:23 Hi and bye. No, no. 23:24 Come down and stand by, 23:26 I want the whole world to know I'm proud to stand by you. 23:30 I want to have the spiritual comradery with you. 23:32 And what else did he do to socialize? 23:34 He said, "I must come." - Let's go to your house. 23:36 - Not just like we Americans say, 23:38 it'll be nice to have you 23:39 come to our house one of these days. 23:41 It never really happened. Hardly happens. 23:43 Jesus says, "I must come to your house today." 23:47 And how does the culture come into the, 23:49 oh, in that part of the world? 23:51 You never invite yourself to somebody's house for a meal 23:54 unless you're a close family member. 23:58 So what Jesus conveying to Zacch, 23:59 I not only wanna socialize with you, 24:00 I want to be your friend, 24:02 but also I want to be your brother. 24:05 And when he went to his house, 24:06 it wasn't just a meal, staying overnight. 24:10 And look what happened, socialized, sympathized with him. 24:14 And what happened at the end? 24:15 He said, salvation has come to his house. 24:18 Salvation had to come, but it wasn't the first thing. 24:21 Even with Jesus, who's the expert on saving people. 24:25 So we should follow His example. 24:26 - Right. 24:27 And this is, I think, another difference 24:29 between the Asian culture slash mindset, worldview, 24:35 whatever you wanna call it, versus the Western. 24:37 Yes, the western. - Why? 24:38 'Cause many times we approach it the opposite way. 24:40 We bring the tools of salvation first 24:43 before we socialize and before we, you know, 24:45 we've gotten it backward. 24:47 - You know, we never, - Or out of order, maybe. 24:48 I don't know. - Natalie, 24:49 we never rehearse this interview. 24:50 It's like spontaneous. 24:52 You both have a gift for bringing out the right questions. 24:58 For example, what you just said, 25:00 Jesus was first of all people oriented 25:03 and then He was task oriented. 25:06 But in the western world, it's the opposite. 25:08 We're task oriented. 25:10 We're doers. 25:13 Come to my meeting, you know. 25:15 Join my, - Here, take my book. 25:17 - Yeah, the program. But Jesus was always people oriented. 25:21 He was always task oriented, 25:23 but he was people oriented first. 25:24 Like He became his friend, you know. 25:27 Look at the leper. 25:29 The leper want a task to be accomplished. What was the task? 25:32 I want to be cleansed. 25:34 That's the prior task, a leper want to be cleansed. 25:37 And Jesus could have said, be cleansed. 25:39 Instantly, he would've been cleansed. 25:41 But He refused to do that. 25:44 "Come on, I'm here to be cleansed. Get with it." 25:47 "No, not yet." 25:48 He was moved with compassion, 25:51 and compassion means to suffer with. 25:54 Jesus moved and He suffered with the leper. 25:58 And He stretched forth His hand. 26:01 and he touched his leprosy. 26:03 Yeah. 26:04 He didn't cleanse him and touch him. 26:06 He touched his leprosy. 26:08 He came into his world and then He healed. 26:10 There you have a good example of being task oriented, 26:14 he cared about him as an individual 26:16 and then He cleansed him. 26:17 And that's the example we should follow, really? 26:19 - Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 26:22 - So you see, you bring up these points 26:25 to get me all excited. 26:26 So if I talk too much, please don't blame me. 26:28 - No, it's all right. - The questions. 26:32 - I think you're excited about Jesus. 26:34 - I'm excited about Jesus, 26:35 the most exciting thing in the world. 26:38 - Well, I hate to say it, 26:39 but our time is probably way past. 26:43 And I just wanted to mention to our viewers 26:45 that Dr. Samaan has a number of books, 26:47 the one that I talked about, "Christ's Way to Pray." 26:50 And then the one he also mentioned, "The Mideast Messiah," 26:54 And there's a number of other ones. 26:56 And you can find these at the Adventist Book Center 27:00 and also on the internet. 27:02 And so, I would encourage you to find the books 27:05 and to study more into Christ's Way. 27:08 It's been such a privilege to have you here today. 27:10 - Can I add one more thing, please? 27:12 - Yes, you may. - Short, short. 27:14 - If you call Jesus for Asia Ministry, 27:20 and you want any of my books, 27:22 then the proceeds are donate to the ministry. 27:26 - Oh, thank you. 27:28 - For the privilege of being interviewed today. 27:30 - Oh, you don't have to pay. 27:32 - No, no. 27:33 It's for my love for Jesus and reaching people. 27:35 - Okay. Well, thank you for that offer. 27:37 So if you would like to receive one of his books, 27:42 you can call us and we'll make arrangements for that. 27:44 And if you would like to get otherwise involved 27:48 in the work in Asia, please contact us 27:50 at Jesus for Asia PO Box 1221 Collegedale, Tennessee, 37315. 27:57 Call us at 423-413-7321 28:01 or visit our website at jesusforasia.org. 28:05 May God richly bless you 28:06 until we see you next time on "Jesus for Asia Now." 28:09 (dramatic music) |
Revised 2024-01-02