Rob Peters, transitional pastor of the church I retired from almost a year ago, told about leading Bible study one Wednesday night and noticing a couple he’d not seen before, a dark-haired Middle Eastern man and his wife, a blonde-haired woman. After the service, the couple approached Peters and requested a few minutes to talk.
Peters invited them into his office, sat down with them, and after introductions, the man asked, “Can I tell you a story?
“I am here today because I planned to honor-kill my wife and my two sons because of the affair she had.”
He explained he was Iranian, grew up Muslim, and practiced his Muslim faith, and this family crisis happened.
Peters asked, “So what brings you to a church on a Wednesday night?”
The man responded, “Before I was going to do this honor-killing, I went into a bank, and I was going to withdraw all the money we had, and I was going to flee the country after committing this terrible thing. I was standing in line, and I was in turmoil and this lady in front of me turned around and looked deep into my eyes and said these words: ‘Sir, I don’t know what trouble you’re facing but I want to tell you that Jesus is the answer you need.’”
He was so distraught he left the bank and headed down the interstate, driving erratically on the busiest road in south Florida, and got into a wreck so horrific rescuers had to cut him out with the jaws of life.
A state trooper, as he ripped the man’s seat belt with his pocketknife to extricate him, looked at the man and said, “Sir, I want you to know that I have pulled a hundred people out of wrecks like this and not once have I seen them survive. I don’t know where you are spiritually, but I want to tell you that Jesus knows how to help you.”
As the trooper drove him home, they passed Peter’s church, and the Iranian man shared, “Something said to me, ‘You’ll find the answer you’re looking for in there.’ I’m here looking for answers.”
Peters shared the Gospel, and both received Jesus as Savior and began a journey they continue today. God can take any person far from Him, people we think can never be converted, and bring them to a saving faith in Christ!
Never underestimate what God can do when we allow Him to use us to point people to Jesus. Simply mentioning Jesus, as the lady in the bank and the state trooper did, planted a potent seed of the Gospel that impacted a troubled man’s heart and contributed to his coming to Christ. We never know what’s going on in a person’s life. However, we know Jesus brings hope. How often do we mention the name of Jesus in everyday conversation?
There is power in the name of Jesus because power is found in the person of Jesus. As He walked this earth, Jesus performed many miracles, not to show off, but to glorify God and point people to His heavenly Father.
For example, in John 11, we find the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Word reached Jesus that his friend Lazarus was ill. Jesus could have healed him right then, but He stayed two more days before going to Judea. Lazarus died before Jesus arrived. Lazarus’ sisters and others were perplexed about Jesus’ lack of hurry and urgency to heal him.
Some said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” (John 11:37).
Jesus ordered the tomb uncovered and called Lazarus to come forth. Lazarus, bound in graveclothes, came out of the tomb, restored to life.
In a devotional about this episode, pastor Greg Laurie asserted nothing is beyond the Lord’s power.
“Lazarus’ walk out of the tomb opened a world of possibilities for everyone who trusts Jesus. If He can give life to a corpse after four days, He can change the most stubborn mind. He can soften the hardest heart. He can cure spiritual darkness. He can reconcile the most unlikely people. He can ease the most intense fears. He can bring something good from the worst circumstances.”
Whatever you’re facing, never underestimate the power of Jesus. Jesus is the answer we need.
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David L. Chancey, the Writing Pastor, enjoys preaching, writing, and time with family. He is the author of Marvelous Faith: Pursuing the Faith that Makes Jesus Marvel. Visit www.davidchancey.com for additional information.