The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not an ancient creed or a human argument—it is the living and Life-giving “power of God for salvation.” I was reminded of this many years ago in a letter from my friend JD Crowley, a pioneer missionary who serves among the Tampuan, Jarai, and Krung peoples in the borderlands of NE Cambodia. His letter beautifully illustrates the power of the Gospel to bring Light, deliverance, and sudden joy:
In a few hours I will ride my motorcycle out to the village of Krala and teach the last two of twenty-four Creation to Christ lessons to a group of around twenty Krung Christians and almost-Christians. Most of the teaching has been done by locals, but I’ve had the privilege of teaching a few myself, and the response has been encouraging.
After I taught on the Ten Commandments, a middle-aged man said, “I’ve broken every one of these commandments many, many times; how can I possibly be reconciled to God?” Others nodded their heads as if to say that they were wondering the same thing. In twelve years here, I’ve never had anyone ask me that question or seem to be under so much conviction.
I skipped ahead and gave them a short explanation about the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world on the cross. They actually started clapping and praising God spontaneously, as if a great burden had been lifted. It was a perfect example of God’s law preparing people for God’s grace. I believe that some came into the kingdom right then and there as the light went on in their hearts and minds.
The Krung preacher who was supposed to do today’s final lessons is ill, and the great privilege has fallen on me to teach about the death of Christ, and the resurrection and ascension. Please pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be on us, that the little bamboo house on the edge of Krala would be the Holy of Holies today. Pray that this stronghold of the Enemy would become a village filled with believers. Every square inch of Krala village belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s claim it for His glory!
[This is an excerpt from my book Dispatches from the Front: Stories of Gospel Advance in the World’s Difficult Places, Crossway, 2014, pages 102-103.]