(dramatic music)
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- Hello and welcome
to "Jesus for Asia Now"
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I'm Natalie Wood, and John is
here with me on the set today.
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And we have a special guest.
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Dr. Samaan, we're
so glad you're here.
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- Thank you.
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- Can you tell us
where you're from?
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- I was born south of the
biblical city of Antioch in
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Syria, on the Mediterranean.
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- Okay.
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- This is a place
where the followers
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of Christ were called
Christians for the first time.
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You find in Acts 11:26.
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Why were they called
Christians for the first time?
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It was a nickname,
derogatory nickname
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because all they thought about,
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all they talked about was Jesus.
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And so, they nicknamed them
Christians and the name stuck.
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And so that inspired me to
entitle my ministry Christ's Way
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'cause I want people everywhere
to do things Christ's Way.
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- Amen. Amen. Amen.
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- So you started out as a
student coming to America?
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Or how did you get to America?
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- Well, I came to
America when I was a teenager
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and I attended
Portland Adventist Academy
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in the State of Oregon.
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And I went to Walla
Walla College after that
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and met my wife there.
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- Okay.
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- So your parents came
over and brought you to
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- Nobody came over.
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I came by myself.
- And why did you-
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It was very
difficult to leave the country.
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- Yeah.
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- And so they were not allowed
to come out of the country.
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And after saying goodbye
to them when I was a teenager,
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I never saw them again.
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- Really? - Oh wow.
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Never saw them again. -
And they've passed away.
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- So if you have Asian
parents, take advantage of that
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and show them as
much love as you can
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while they're still living.
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- Wow. Wow. So then you,
why did you come to America?
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- I came here
because of freedom,
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because the opportunities
America provided to study,
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to do something one's life.
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Because in my part of the world
as a Seventh Day Adventist,
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it was hard to really function
as an evangelist, as a pastor
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because our
church wasn't accepted
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in that part of the
world, to say the least.
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- So you were converted
and was in love with Christ
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before you came to America
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- Before.
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In fact, my parents
became Seventh Day Adventists.
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I was born in a
Seventh Day Adventist home.
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And my parents, people
asked me, "Well, are you Muslim?
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Do you have a
Muslim background?"
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Because the
majority are Muslims.
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- [John] Right.
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- But I come from
the Christian background
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and my parents
traced their background
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all the way to our first
missionary, the Apostle Paul.
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- Wow. - Who spent a year,
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three years south of Damascus,
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not only preaching,
but telling the gospel.
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So it was hard for
fellow Greek Orthodox Christians
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to accept this new
cult, Seventh Day Adventism.
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That's why there
was some opposition.
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- I see.
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So then how did
they become Adventists?
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- Through the
efforts of missionaries.
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- Really?
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- And my parents were
known to be honest people,
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honest at heart.
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When they learned the truth,
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they accepted it
regardless of consequences.
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And they suffered a
lot because, you know,
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Adventism was
like considered a cult.
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Especially we learned to
keep the seven day Sabbath.
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And our neighbors,
Israel kept the Sabbath.
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So they associate
us with being Zionists,
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even though we're not,
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we're just trying
to follow the Bible.
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- And in that
part of the country,
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that's not a good, -
Not a good thing at all.
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The other thing was, you know,
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we were taught by the
missionaries not to carry
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weapons to fight
and to kill, okay.
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But in that part of the world,
you know, Syria and Israel
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been enemies for
many, many years.
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And so if you refuse
to defend your homeland
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and you kept their Sabbath,
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you were not very
especially accepted, yes.
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- Wow. That's tough.
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- Wow. - That's tough.
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- So we can say
that that's really
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what caused a lot
of the opposition,
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because they
identified us with Israel.
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- Right.
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The reason why we invited
you on this show is, you know,
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we're Jesus for Asia.
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That's our ministry.
Our focus is on Asia.
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And some people think
why such a narrow focus?
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The truth is that
Asia goes all the way
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from Japan and the
East to Turkey in the west,
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including Israel, Syria, Jordan,
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but not down into Africa.
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So Asia encompasses
all those countries.
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So Syria is an Asian country.
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- So I'm so glad to
think of it this way.
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I'm a part of
the Asian ministry.
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But you know, I tell
this to people from Asia,
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be the Indians,
Koreans, Pakistanis,
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by the way, I'm a fellow Asian.
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They look at me and
say, "No, you're not."
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"Why not?"
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"You don't look like it."
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I say, "I was born in Syria
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and Syria is the
other edge of Asia.
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Please include us in your
continent, you huge continent."
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And they smile and
they look at the map
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and then they agree with me.
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Or you can go all
the way from Syria,
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then north of that is Turkey.
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Turkey is a big country.
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And you have Dardanelles
Strait and then Europe starts.
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- Correct. Correct.
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- And so Turkey is
really at the edge of the,
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as you said, Japan
is on the other side,
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Turkey is on the other side.
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- Correct. So
Asia is really a large,
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- Oh well, Asia's
the largest continent.
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- Yeah.
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And it's also home to more than
half the world's population.
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- Exactly. - Yeah.
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- And you chose
the right continent.
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You know why?
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Because Jesus came from Asia.
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- Jesus was Asian. -
Jesus was Asian. Exactly.
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- That's right.
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And so He was born and
raised with an Asian mindset.
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- Exactly.
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- And a lot of
the ways that he spoke
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was related to Asian.
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Like He would
call his mother woman.
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- Yes, yes. - And
in American mindset,
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that's a little disrespectful.
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- Yes.
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You must have read my
book, "The Middle East Messiah."
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Yeah, you can go to
Asia to India and say,
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"I'm here to present
to you the Asian Messiah."
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- There you go. Wow.
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In fact, that's
one of my desires is,
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because I know in
Thailand they say that
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Christianity is
a western religion.
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And I wanna take
a pastor to Israel
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and follow the life of Christ
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and title the
series, "Jesus Was Asian."
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- Right. Right.
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- You know, to break
through that barrier,
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that misconception that-
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- Isn't it amazing
that God's thoughts,
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God's divine
thoughts were revealed
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through a
Middle Eastern mindset.
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- Wow.
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- And so, you know,
when I wrote this book,
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"The Middle East
Messiah," trying to His culture
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and the way He thought, so
we can appreciate Him more.
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And so, what you
mentioned earlier is true.
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- So tell me,
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coming from an Asian
mindset and understanding Jesus
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and the gospel
through the filter of culture,
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the western culture
versus Eastern culture,
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what is the main
thing that you see
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that Americans may not
understand about the life of
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Christ, about His
ministry that would be helpful
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if we understood
the Asian mindset?
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- Well, that's a
very good question.
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And there is so
many ways you can enrich
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and deepen your
relationship with Jesus,
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by understanding His culture.
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Give you one example. - Okay.
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- You don't want many.
One example, a short one.
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- Okay?
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- That's when Jesus
washed the feet of Judas.
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On the night he was
ready to betray Him,
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to sell Him for 30 piece of
silver, the price of a slave,
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can you imagine
selling your best friend?
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But Jesus loved him anyway.
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In the western in the world,
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we appreciate Jesus for
His love, forgiveness, grace,
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but it's deeper than that,
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because in that culture,
maybe in India, I don't know,
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but at least in my culture,
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the head
represents the most noble
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and most sacred
part of the body,
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and the feed
represents the opposite,
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the most base, the most
filthy part of the body.
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And so when
Jesus lowered Himself
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on a carpet like
this, no chairs, no couches,
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He lowered
himself almost His head,
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touching Judas'
feet as He wash his feet,
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what He was
saying so graphically.
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To us today, to His disciples,
to everybody who understands
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that narrative
from that culture,
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Judas, no matter
what you're doing,
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I want my best to
reach you at your worst.
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And so what's the
worst thing about you?
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What's the thing
you're most ashamed of?
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You can't tell anybody.
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Christ is telling
you I want my best,
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which is to help
you at your worst.
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- Wow. - So
that deepens the bond
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and many other examples.
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- So it's okay for
us to invite Christ
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into our most shameful moments.
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- Yes.
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Well, not only invite
him, he invites Himself.
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- Wow.
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- He took the
initiative when nobody want
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to wash anybody's
feet, He took the initiative
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to approach Judas and say,
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"I'm taking
initiative to show you,
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I'm eager to do my best,
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to help you at your
worst, and he can do that."
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So everybody has
hope to be saved.
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- That's one thing I've
been rereading your book,
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"Christ's Way to Pray."
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And that's one
thing that I just,
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it's stuck with
me again this time,
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is that the uttermost, you know,
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He wants to save
to the uttermost.
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And it's like there's no
part that he can't reach.
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- He's able to
say to the uttermost,
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from the
guttermost to the uttermost,
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from the feet to the head,
from our worst to Christ's best.
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It cannot get better than that.
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- Right.
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- And you know, when
it says at Hebrew 7:25,
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"He's able to
save to the uttermost."
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Nobody can do that
except Jesus, by the way.
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His specialty is salvation.
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What's the condition?
00:10:16.85\00:10:18.18
All God's
promise are on condition.
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Those who come to
Him, we got to respond.
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We got to be a part of that.
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Those who come to Him.
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And then there's
the word of causation
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because, why is He able
to save to the uttermost?
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Because He ever lives to
make intercession for them.
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Oh Christ intercession
in the heavenly sanctuary
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is the anchor for salvation.
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Because on the cross,
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He provided perfect
provision for our salvation.
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On the cross, in
the sanctuary above,
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He provides perfect application.
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The two go together.
They're both important.
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- Yes. Yes.
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So what he's done on the cross,
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He is currently now
in heaven applying it
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to our individual
moment and our individual need.
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- Because you know, even,
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I've been to the holy
land as you have been,
00:11:05.86\00:11:08.33
and Christ is not
hanging on the cross.
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You know, I mean, - Amen.
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- The folks on the
cross, that's wonderful.
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Without Jesus's death,
00:11:13.60\00:11:14.87
nobody would have
any chance of salvation.
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But He's not
there anymore. - Yes.
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- Nowhere to be found.
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Unlike real estate
agents say, location, location.
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Where's the location of Jesus?
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In the heavenly sanctuary above.
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- Right. - What's he doing?
00:11:26.95\00:11:27.95
He's ministering in our behalf.
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You see, he's our
advocate and we are his clients.
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And you know, when we trust
Him, He never loses a case.
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So our focus
should be the cross.
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But what happens on the cross
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takes all the way
through sanctuary.
00:11:42.90\00:11:44.57
Because this where he
applies that provision.
00:11:44.57\00:11:47.34
- Yes, yes, yes.
00:11:47.34\00:11:48.50
So he is ever
living. - Ever living.
00:11:48.50\00:11:50.77
That's interesting,
you mentioned ever living,
00:11:50.77\00:11:53.01
you have the word
living and interceding.
00:11:53.01\00:11:57.51
He ever lives to intercede.
00:11:57.51\00:11:59.05
Theologically they are
connected, aren't they?
00:11:59.05\00:12:00.92
He lives, what kind
of a life. Perfect life.
00:12:00.92\00:12:03.08
Perfect righteous.
00:12:03.08\00:12:04.22
That's why He's able to
intercede so powerfully.
00:12:04.22\00:12:06.69
So living goes with interceding.
00:12:06.69\00:12:09.39
- So what does it
mean to intercede?
00:12:09.39\00:12:11.06
Is there Asian concepts around
the concept of interceding?
00:12:11.06\00:12:14.73
- Perfectly on, yes,
00:12:14.73\00:12:16.26
because you know, in a conflict,
00:12:16.26\00:12:19.77
in a crisis you got
to have intermediaries.
00:12:19.77\00:12:23.41
And that's a
custom, maybe in India,
00:12:23.41\00:12:25.57
certainly in my
part of the world,
00:12:25.57\00:12:26.84
you have to have
people intervening
00:12:26.84\00:12:29.48
between you and your opponent.
00:12:29.48\00:12:32.45
And so, the concept
of intercession is so
00:12:32.45\00:12:37.52
indispensable. Why?
00:12:38.79\00:12:39.85
Because while we
were enemies of God,
00:12:39.85\00:12:42.12
Jesus came to reconcile us.
00:12:43.69\00:12:45.83
- Wow.
00:12:45.83\00:12:47.10
- Even though
while we're enemies.
00:12:47.10\00:12:48.56
And so His intercession
was so indispensable.
00:12:49.76\00:12:54.10
Without that will not make it.
00:12:54.10\00:12:55.87
- Wow. Wow.
00:12:55.87\00:12:56.91
- Especially
the Bible calls Him,
00:12:56.91\00:12:59.87
and that's another
thing about the culture,
00:12:59.87\00:13:01.84
and that is, you
know, Jesus is unique.
00:13:01.84\00:13:05.01
You know, some translation
say begotten John 3:16,
00:13:05.01\00:13:09.22
but the word begotten doesn't
exist in the original Greek.
00:13:09.22\00:13:12.52
- Really?
00:13:12.52\00:13:13.66
- Just the word,
one adjective for Jesus,
00:13:13.66\00:13:15.66
for gospel of the world
that He gave His Monogenes son.
00:13:15.66\00:13:20.73
And Monogenes, one of a kind.
00:13:21.50\00:13:24.03
Mono means one, genes,
00:13:24.03\00:13:26.37
one of a kind or unique.
00:13:26.37\00:13:28.00
And people say,
"So what's difference?"
00:13:28.00\00:13:29.34
It makes every difference to
think of Jesus in a unique way.
00:13:29.34\00:13:32.51
Why? Because we got
unique problems in this world.
00:13:32.51\00:13:35.74
What are the unique problems?
00:13:35.74\00:13:36.88
Nobody can solve. - Yes.
00:13:36.88\00:13:38.85
- And that's sin and death.
00:13:38.85\00:13:42.45
- Yes.
00:13:42.45\00:13:43.25
- No psychologists, no psych,
00:13:43.25\00:13:45.19
nobody can solve the
problem of sin except Jesus.
00:13:45.19\00:13:48.26
He fought sin
was sin and He won.
00:13:48.26\00:13:50.93
And He fought death
with death and He won
00:13:50.93\00:13:53.90
because he's a source of life
00:13:53.90\00:13:55.76
and He's a source
of all righteousness.
00:13:55.76\00:13:57.83
Nobody else is a source.
00:13:57.83\00:13:59.27
That's why He's unique
00:13:59.27\00:14:00.60
in solving the
problems of this world.
00:14:00.60\00:14:02.80
- Yeah.
00:14:02.80\00:14:04.07
Whoever heard of a God
becoming part of his creation.
00:14:04.07\00:14:07.54
- Yes.
00:14:07.54\00:14:08.34
Now we, in all world religions,
00:14:08.34\00:14:10.65
I teach a course
in world religions,
00:14:10.65\00:14:12.51
human beings try
to go higher into God.
00:14:12.51\00:14:17.59
God in the Christian faith,
00:14:18.85\00:14:21.52
He comes to our
level, even to our feet.
00:14:21.52\00:14:24.83
Can you imagine the
creator of the universe
00:14:24.83\00:14:27.96
comes to our feet.
00:14:28.76\00:14:30.10
That's the most humble
thing you could think of.
00:14:30.10\00:14:32.67
And you know, coming
from, I mean serving in Asia,
00:14:34.04\00:14:37.77
I don't know if you
remember this story,
00:14:37.77\00:14:41.28
when there was a
religious convention,
00:14:41.28\00:14:43.91
I think either
India or I think in India,
00:14:43.91\00:14:46.78
and they asked representatives,
00:14:47.82\00:14:49.48
all the world
religious to bring a picture
00:14:49.48\00:14:52.39
to convey the
essence of their religion.
00:14:53.46\00:14:56.12
And so, a Christian group
brought very unusual picture,
00:14:57.66\00:15:01.63
Jesus washing the feet of Judas
00:15:01.63\00:15:04.87
to show our God
condescends to our level,
00:15:06.10\00:15:10.14
to ground zero, to pick
us up from where we are,
00:15:10.14\00:15:13.24
from the
guttermost to the uttermost.
00:15:13.24\00:15:14.98
So that was a very
impressive picture.
00:15:14.98\00:15:17.01
That's what describes
Christianity to the world.
00:15:17.01\00:15:21.28
Our God is so humble,
He's willing to empty Himself,
00:15:21.28\00:15:26.35
subject Himself to all the abuse
00:15:27.16\00:15:28.69
because He loves us so much,
00:15:28.69\00:15:29.79
He wants to save
us in the worst way.
00:15:29.79\00:15:31.89
- You have been a professor
00:15:31.89\00:15:33.73
at several
different universities.
00:15:33.73\00:15:37.00
You were a professor at
Andrews University for 10 years.
00:15:37.00\00:15:39.33
- Yeah, the best
two universities.
00:15:39.33\00:15:41.47
- The best two. -
In Adventist education.
00:15:41.47\00:15:44.27
Andrews University
Theological Seminar.
00:15:44.27\00:15:47.28
And then Southern,
00:15:47.28\00:15:48.41
I taught at Southern
for 20 years and I retired.
00:15:48.41\00:15:52.51
And now I'm called Professor
Emeritus. That's my title.
00:15:52.51\00:15:56.48
- Okay. So what was the thrust?
00:15:56.48\00:15:58.19
What was the main objective
00:15:58.19\00:16:00.09
or purpose and
goal of your teaching?
00:16:00.09\00:16:02.79
What was it that you were
trying to teach all those years?
00:16:02.79\00:16:05.53
Can you summarize it?
00:16:05.53\00:16:06.86
- You know, John, you
asked the best questions.
00:16:06.86\00:16:08.90
Like it's in my head.
00:16:08.90\00:16:10.73
I was hoping you
would ask such a question.
00:16:10.73\00:16:12.70
My passion, my first
and foremost priority,
00:16:12.70\00:16:16.71
is to build up my student's
faith in Jesus in the Bible,
00:16:16.71\00:16:21.78
in our
distinctive, precious message
00:16:23.68\00:16:25.85
so they can
witness with conviction
00:16:25.85\00:16:28.42
and lead people to Jesus.
00:16:28.42\00:16:30.15
It's to help them become
more and more Christ-centered
00:16:30.15\00:16:34.02
in everything they do.
00:16:35.02\00:16:36.99
You know, like you mentioned
about "Christ's Way to Pray."
00:16:36.99\00:16:39.26
You know, there are
many books written on prayer.
00:16:39.26\00:16:41.90
People have all kinds to pray.
00:16:41.90\00:16:44.63
But why not choose
Christ's ways to pray?
00:16:44.63\00:16:47.87
It's the best way,
and to me, the only way,
00:16:47.87\00:16:49.24
it's the most
powerful thing in the world.
00:16:49.24\00:16:51.81
- Well, he was very, -
How to pray like Jesus.
00:16:51.81\00:16:53.54
- He had a very successful
prayer life. Jesus did.
00:16:53.54\00:16:56.58
- Well, you know, I mean,
I'm learning more and more.
00:16:56.58\00:16:58.61
It's a gold mine of knowledge
about how to pray like Jesus.
00:16:58.61\00:17:03.49
- Yes. Yes.
00:17:03.49\00:17:04.59
I was recently in Israel
00:17:04.59\00:17:06.29
and I was on the Mount
of Transfiguration Sabbath
00:17:06.29\00:17:09.92
mourning. And I was reading
through "The Desire Of Ages"
00:17:09.92\00:17:11.33
of that section when he
was up on the mountain praying.
00:17:11.33\00:17:14.93
And He prayed,
00:17:14.93\00:17:16.43
the whole transfiguration event
was a result of his prayer.
00:17:17.77\00:17:21.70
He's asking for that.
00:17:21.70\00:17:23.04
I always thought that
somehow this was the plan
00:17:23.04\00:17:25.17
and He knew to go up and
meet the father at that time.
00:17:25.17\00:17:28.04
And the father had arranged
for this thing to happen.
00:17:28.04\00:17:31.05
It was Jesus' prayer.
00:17:31.05\00:17:33.08
- Exactly. -
Sounds powerful prayer.
00:17:33.08\00:17:34.62
- Powerful prayer. Yes, yes.
00:17:34.62\00:17:36.22
- What if we started
praying with the realization
00:17:36.22\00:17:39.79
that this is
what's possible in prayer.
00:17:39.79\00:17:42.79
Something like that.
00:17:42.79\00:17:43.89
- And we're not saying
that we're going to have
00:17:43.89\00:17:45.19
a transfiguration experience,
but we would rise higher
00:17:45.19\00:17:48.73
in our genuine spirituality
becomes so close to God
00:17:48.73\00:17:52.40
that you sense you in
the very presence of God
00:17:52.40\00:17:55.64
and that you're doing God's
will and God is near to you.
00:17:55.64\00:17:59.44
And things would happen
that wouldn't happen otherwise.
00:17:59.44\00:18:01.98
- Exactly.
00:18:01.98\00:18:03.08
- If we did not pray
this kind of praying.
00:18:03.08\00:18:04.35
- [John] Exactly.
00:18:04.35\00:18:05.15
- But most of our praying today
00:18:05.15\00:18:05.95
is kind of shallow, you know,
00:18:05.95\00:18:07.68
Lord, please
help me to be ready.
00:18:07.68\00:18:09.35
I hope I'm good enough.
Be with all the missionaries.
00:18:09.35\00:18:12.65
I mean, I don't mind praying
for missionaries but like,
00:18:12.65\00:18:14.96
and be with all the call
porters and I hope I'm ready.
00:18:14.96\00:18:17.19
And no, but we need to
sit in high places with Jesus.
00:18:17.19\00:18:21.50
And really reach His
heart and His passion.
00:18:21.50\00:18:24.67
- Yes, exactly.
00:18:24.67\00:18:25.77
- And be totally
intimate with Him.
00:18:25.77\00:18:27.77
- We are starting to do
a new type of evangelism,
00:18:27.77\00:18:32.67
soul winning and entering
unentered areas in our ministry.
00:18:33.98\00:18:38.71
And the
technique now is praying.
00:18:39.81\00:18:41.65
- Technique. - Yeah. The method.
00:18:41.65\00:18:43.85
- Yeah. - The technique,
00:18:43.85\00:18:45.25
the method is to pray for God
to do his will in that place.
00:18:45.25\00:18:49.12
- But prayer is
indispensable in evangelism.
00:18:49.12\00:18:52.36
You know, Jesus linked
evangelism with praying.
00:18:52.36\00:18:56.60
- Yeah. - Look at Matthew 9.
00:18:56.60\00:18:58.23
He said, "The harvest
is plentiful, is ripe."
00:18:58.23\00:19:01.94
And people wonder,
you know, is it really?
00:19:01.94\00:19:04.11
I don't see how it's ripe?
00:19:04.11\00:19:05.97
But Jesus takes
the best surveys.
00:19:05.97\00:19:09.98
How does he do it?
00:19:09.98\00:19:11.11
He looks directly
at people's hearts
00:19:11.11\00:19:13.88
and he discovers
their longing for something
00:19:13.88\00:19:16.32
this world cannot give them.
00:19:16.32\00:19:17.75
We should believe what He says
00:19:17.75\00:19:19.29
and assume
everywhere we go in this world,
00:19:19.29\00:19:21.66
people are longing
for something better.
00:19:21.66\00:19:23.59
We just need to provide the
right, safe, loving environment,
00:19:23.59\00:19:27.10
which they can
tell us who they are.
00:19:27.10\00:19:29.43
And what else did He say?
00:19:29.43\00:19:31.10
Ah, so now that the harvest
is ripe, we need to pray.
00:19:31.10\00:19:35.60
- [John] Yeah.
00:19:35.60\00:19:36.74
- Pray for the Lord
to have sent forth labor.
00:19:36.74\00:19:39.31
So we have the linkage
between evangelism and praying.
00:19:39.31\00:19:43.01
- Yes.
00:19:43.01\00:19:44.15
And we found
that going into places
00:19:44.15\00:19:45.45
where there are no evangelists,
there are no missionaries,
00:19:45.45\00:19:48.68
there's no witness at all
that we don't know what to do.
00:19:48.68\00:19:52.65
So we've decided, and
we have started to pray.
00:19:52.65\00:19:57.19
And you know, in the
last four years we've now,
00:19:57.19\00:20:00.16
we're now into three cities
00:20:00.16\00:20:01.40
that have never had
Adventist presence before ever.
00:20:01.40\00:20:04.73
So this has been the
most effective evangelism
00:20:04.73\00:20:07.74
method we've
ever stumbled across.
00:20:07.74\00:20:10.24
And it's not a
method, it's prayer.
00:20:10.24\00:20:11.71
It's putting God back
in charge of His work.
00:20:11.71\00:20:13.91
- Instead of
looking for a method,
00:20:13.91\00:20:15.71
you don't have to
look any further, pray.
00:20:15.71\00:20:18.51
That's the best
program you can have
00:20:18.51\00:20:20.62
because God can begin to
open doors that you cannot open.
00:20:20.62\00:20:23.32
- Yes. - Right.
00:20:23.32\00:20:24.12
- [John] Exactly. Exactly.
00:20:24.12\00:20:25.22
- And then it's
really His method.
00:20:25.22\00:20:26.62
- His method. - Right.
00:20:26.62\00:20:29.22
- Which He changes
everywhere, you know.
00:20:29.22\00:20:31.53
He's like got
unique people everywhere.
00:20:31.53\00:20:34.20
He's got unique ways to
reach each of those people.
00:20:34.20\00:20:36.23
- And just like the
approach of the Apostle Paul,
00:20:36.23\00:20:38.70
he said, you know, I try
to meet people where they are.
00:20:38.70\00:20:41.87
If they're
Greeks, if they're Jews.
00:20:41.87\00:20:44.17
So we have to be sensitive
enough and caring enough
00:20:44.17\00:20:47.78
to put ourself in
the place of other people
00:20:49.01\00:20:50.25
and say, if they
were to come to me,
00:20:50.25\00:20:52.51
how would I have
liked them to approach me?
00:20:52.51\00:20:54.75
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:20:54.75\00:20:56.18
So this, what we're introducing,
what you're introducing
00:20:56.18\00:20:58.52
is not necessarily a
religion, but a person.
00:20:58.52\00:21:02.42
- A person. That's good.
00:21:02.42\00:21:04.73
John, you're saying
just the perfect things.
00:21:04.73\00:21:07.10
Appreciate that.
00:21:07.10\00:21:08.13
Well, look, you
talk about methods.
00:21:08.13\00:21:10.00
- Yeah.
00:21:10.00\00:21:11.13
- We start with prayer,
but Christ has a method.
00:21:11.13\00:21:13.80
In fact, I wrote a book
called, "Christ's Method Alone."
00:21:13.80\00:21:16.64
- Okay.
00:21:16.64\00:21:17.74
- And it's outlined
by four powerful verbs.
00:21:17.74\00:21:20.98
- I was hoping you
would bring this up. Yeah.
00:21:20.98\00:21:23.41
- See, I know what
you're thinking, Natalie.
00:21:23.41\00:21:25.68
Anyway, and they start,
00:21:25.68\00:21:26.75
they Illustrate
through letter S, you know.
00:21:26.75\00:21:30.52
That's Christ's
approach. - Okay.
00:21:30.52\00:21:32.35
- The savior of the world,
who especially is salvation,
00:21:32.35\00:21:35.66
did not start by talking
to people about salvation.
00:21:35.66\00:21:38.06
You know, like, we
got to save you right now.
00:21:38.06\00:21:40.43
No matter how you feel,
you got to be saved now.
00:21:40.43\00:21:42.33
No, He start with socialize.
00:21:42.33\00:21:44.83
That's a very
powerful thing to socialize.
00:21:46.27\00:21:48.37
Then sympathize. Why sympathize?
00:21:49.50\00:21:53.11
When you get to know
people better, you know,
00:21:53.11\00:21:55.08
you're able to sympathize
with them more intelligently,
00:21:55.08\00:21:58.48
then after that, we
serve and finally we save.
00:21:58.48\00:22:02.28
So socialize,
sympathize, serve, and save.
00:22:02.28\00:22:06.52
That was Christ's approach.
00:22:06.52\00:22:08.29
The most wonderful approach
that we should use everywhere.
00:22:08.29\00:22:12.33
- Beautiful.
00:22:12.33\00:22:13.13
- You know, we're not here to,
00:22:13.13\00:22:15.26
what are you here for?
00:22:15.26\00:22:16.36
Well, we are we here
to present this program?
00:22:16.36\00:22:17.60
No, no.
00:22:17.60\00:22:18.40
Before you present the program,
00:22:18.40\00:22:19.50
are you interested
in me as a human being?
00:22:19.50\00:22:21.50
- Yes.
00:22:21.50\00:22:22.30
- So, did Jesus do that? Yes.
00:22:22.30\00:22:24.64
Look at Zacchaeus. Why?
00:22:24.64\00:22:26.88
Zacchaeus was
detest by everybody.
00:22:26.88\00:22:29.54
He was so afraid
to show his face.
00:22:29.54\00:22:32.65
He stole from people many times
over what the owed in taxes.
00:22:32.65\00:22:37.05
And Rome was
behind him to protect him.
00:22:37.05\00:22:39.89
And so, but he
heard about Jesus.
00:22:39.89\00:22:41.82
And Jesus was a nice
person, a loving person.
00:22:41.82\00:22:44.26
He wasn't like the other people.
00:22:44.26\00:22:46.16
But he had to see his face.
00:22:46.16\00:22:47.83
You know, he
climbed the sycamore tree
00:22:47.83\00:22:49.10
hoping nobody would see him.
00:22:49.10\00:22:50.47
But Jesus saw him.
00:22:51.57\00:22:52.70
And he started
socializing with him.
00:22:54.07\00:22:55.80
- Right. - Yeah.
00:22:55.80\00:22:57.04
He didn't say, "You
sinner, come down here.
00:22:57.04\00:23:00.44
I want to save you
right now," you Know.
00:23:00.44\00:23:02.74
Like, no. What did he say?
00:23:02.74\00:23:04.41
He call him by name.
00:23:04.41\00:23:06.21
And Zacchaeus felt good.
00:23:06.21\00:23:07.55
But he knows my name. I
must be important to Jesus.
00:23:07.55\00:23:10.69
That's why I memorize
the names of my students.
00:23:10.69\00:23:13.39
I work at it.
00:23:13.39\00:23:14.49
So I pleasantly
surprise him by saying to them,
00:23:14.49\00:23:17.03
John, Kathy, Hunter, whatever.
00:23:17.03\00:23:19.83
He saw Zacchaeus.
00:23:19.83\00:23:21.16
And what else did he say?
00:23:21.16\00:23:22.56
Not just say, hi, Zacchaeus.
00:23:22.56\00:23:23.83
Hi and bye. No, no.
00:23:23.83\00:23:24.97
Come down and stand by,
00:23:24.97\00:23:26.30
I want the whole world to
know I'm proud to stand by you.
00:23:26.30\00:23:30.11
I want to have the
spiritual comradery with you.
00:23:30.11\00:23:32.84
And what else did
he do to socialize?
00:23:32.84\00:23:34.21
He said, "I must come."
- Let's go to your house.
00:23:34.21\00:23:36.51
- Not just like
we Americans say,
00:23:36.51\00:23:38.61
it'll be nice to have you
00:23:38.61\00:23:39.75
come to our house
one of these days.
00:23:39.75\00:23:41.35
It never really
happened. Hardly happens.
00:23:41.35\00:23:43.92
Jesus says, "I must
come to your house today."
00:23:43.92\00:23:47.39
And how does the
culture come into the,
00:23:47.39\00:23:49.26
oh, in that part of the world?
00:23:49.26\00:23:51.33
You never invite yourself
to somebody's house for a meal
00:23:51.33\00:23:54.46
unless you're a
close family member.
00:23:54.46\00:23:58.20
So what Jesus
conveying to Zacch,
00:23:58.20\00:23:59.70
I not only wanna
socialize with you,
00:23:59.70\00:24:00.94
I want to be your friend,
00:24:00.94\00:24:02.04
but also I want
to be your brother.
00:24:02.04\00:24:03.94
And when he went to his house,
00:24:05.31\00:24:06.37
it wasn't just a
meal, staying overnight.
00:24:06.37\00:24:09.14
And look what happened,
socialized, sympathized with
00:24:10.61\00:24:14.32
him. And what
happened at the end?
00:24:14.32\00:24:15.82
He said, salvation
has come to his house.
00:24:15.82\00:24:18.39
Salvation had to come,
but it wasn't the first thing.
00:24:18.39\00:24:21.76
Even with Jesus, who's
the expert on saving people.
00:24:21.76\00:24:25.36
So we should follow His example.
00:24:25.36\00:24:26.86
- Right.
00:24:26.86\00:24:27.93
And this is, I
think, another difference
00:24:27.93\00:24:29.30
between the Asian culture
slash mindset, worldview,
00:24:29.30\00:24:33.97
whatever you wanna
call it, versus the Western.
00:24:35.10\00:24:37.54
Yes, the western. - Why?
00:24:37.54\00:24:38.77
'Cause many times we
approach it the opposite way.
00:24:38.77\00:24:40.68
We bring the
tools of salvation first
00:24:40.68\00:24:43.38
before we socialize
and before we, you know,
00:24:43.38\00:24:45.75
we've gotten it backward.
00:24:45.75\00:24:47.08
- You know, we never,
- Or out of order, maybe.
00:24:47.08\00:24:48.55
I don't know. - Natalie,
00:24:48.55\00:24:49.65
we never
rehearse this interview.
00:24:49.65\00:24:50.89
It's like spontaneous.
00:24:50.89\00:24:52.42
You both have a gift
for bringing out the right
00:24:52.42\00:24:57.26
questions. For
example, what you just said,
00:24:58.06\00:25:00.33
Jesus was first of
all people oriented
00:25:00.33\00:25:03.87
and then He was task oriented.
00:25:03.87\00:25:06.20
But in the western
world, it's the opposite.
00:25:06.20\00:25:08.14
We're task oriented.
00:25:08.14\00:25:10.11
We're doers.
00:25:10.11\00:25:11.37
Come to my meeting, you know.
00:25:13.17\00:25:14.78
Join my, - Here, take my book.
00:25:15.68\00:25:17.48
- Yeah, the program. But Jesus
was always people oriented.
00:25:17.48\00:25:21.75
He was always task oriented,
00:25:21.75\00:25:23.28
but he was
people oriented first.
00:25:23.28\00:25:24.82
Like He became
his friend, you know.
00:25:24.82\00:25:27.89
Look at the leper.
00:25:27.89\00:25:29.39
The leper want a task to be
accomplished. What was the task?
00:25:29.39\00:25:32.43
I want to be cleansed.
00:25:32.43\00:25:34.56
That's the prior task, a
leper want to be cleansed.
00:25:34.56\00:25:37.37
And Jesus could
have said, be cleansed.
00:25:37.37\00:25:39.57
Instantly, he
would've been cleansed.
00:25:39.57\00:25:41.50
But He refused to do that.
00:25:41.50\00:25:43.34
"Come on, I'm here to
be cleansed. Get with it."
00:25:44.64\00:25:47.11
"No, not yet."
00:25:47.11\00:25:48.68
He was moved with compassion,
00:25:48.68\00:25:50.51
and compassion
means to suffer with.
00:25:51.58\00:25:54.25
Jesus moved and He
suffered with the leper.
00:25:54.25\00:25:58.92
And He stretched forth His hand.
00:25:58.92\00:26:01.22
and he touched his leprosy.
00:26:01.22\00:26:02.82
Yeah.
00:26:03.73\00:26:04.86
He didn't cleanse
him and touch him.
00:26:04.86\00:26:06.53
He touched his leprosy.
00:26:06.53\00:26:08.03
He came into his
world and then He healed.
00:26:08.03\00:26:10.60
There you have a good
example of being task oriented,
00:26:10.60\00:26:14.30
he cared about
him as an individual
00:26:14.30\00:26:16.07
and then He cleansed him.
00:26:16.07\00:26:17.57
And that's the example
we should follow, really?
00:26:17.57\00:26:19.64
- Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:26:19.64\00:26:22.51
- So you see, you
bring up these points
00:26:22.51\00:26:25.15
to get me all excited.
00:26:25.15\00:26:26.51
So if I talk too
much, please don't blame me.
00:26:26.51\00:26:28.98
- No, it's all
right. - The questions.
00:26:28.98\00:26:30.99
- I think you're
excited about Jesus.
00:26:32.05\00:26:34.89
- I'm excited about Jesus,
00:26:34.89\00:26:35.99
the most exciting
thing in the world.
00:26:35.99\00:26:38.83
- Well, I hate to say it,
00:26:38.83\00:26:39.93
but our time is
probably way past.
00:26:39.93\00:26:42.36
And I just wanted to
mention to our viewers
00:26:43.70\00:26:45.77
that Dr. Samaan
has a number of books,
00:26:45.77\00:26:47.70
the one that I talked
about, "Christ's Way to Pray."
00:26:47.70\00:26:50.84
And then the one he
also mentioned, "The Mideast
00:26:50.84\00:26:54.74
Messiah," And there's
a number of other ones.
00:26:54.74\00:26:56.14
And you can find these
at the Adventist Book Center
00:26:56.14\00:27:00.38
and also on the internet.
00:27:00.38\00:27:02.18
And so, I would
encourage you to find the books
00:27:02.18\00:27:05.49
and to study more
into Christ's Way.
00:27:05.49\00:27:08.39
It's been such a privilege
to have you here today.
00:27:08.39\00:27:10.49
- Can I add one
more thing, please?
00:27:10.49\00:27:12.29
- Yes, you may. - Short, short.
00:27:12.29\00:27:14.50
- If you call
Jesus for Asia Ministry,
00:27:14.50\00:27:19.00
and you want any of my books,
00:27:20.00\00:27:21.54
then the proceeds are
donate to the ministry.
00:27:22.64\00:27:26.98
- Oh, thank you.
00:27:26.98\00:27:28.08
- For the privilege of
being interviewed today.
00:27:28.08\00:27:30.05
- Oh, you don't have to pay.
00:27:30.05\00:27:32.08
- No, no.
00:27:32.08\00:27:33.38
It's for my love for
Jesus and reaching people.
00:27:33.38\00:27:35.95
- Okay. Well,
thank you for that offer.
00:27:35.95\00:27:37.95
So if you would like to
receive one of his books,
00:27:37.95\00:27:42.16
you can call us and we'll
make arrangements for that.
00:27:42.16\00:27:44.69
And if you would like
to get otherwise involved
00:27:44.69\00:27:48.33
in the work in
Asia, please contact us
00:27:48.33\00:27:50.47
at Jesus for Asia PO Box 1221
Collegedale, Tennessee, 37315.
00:27:50.47\00:27:55.54
Call us at 423-413-7321
00:27:57.91\00:28:01.98
or visit our
website at jesusforasia.org.
00:28:01.98\00:28:05.38
May God richly bless you
00:28:05.38\00:28:06.75
until we see you next
time on "Jesus for Asia Now."
00:28:06.75\00:28:09.38
(dramatic music)
00:28:09.38\00:28:12.22