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Steve BellInterserve

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Captivated: hearing God’s Word

– ‘People of the Book’ reaching Muslims

SESSION 1 Hearing God’s Word as ‘People of the Book’

Steve Bell’s bloggraceformuslims.org

1.So who are the ‘People of the Book’?

2. Hearing God’s Word about Muslims

Muslims

“a theology of history” – i.e. a biblical worldview

‘God works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.’ (Eph.1:11)

God’s purpose in human history

‘…the mystery of God’s will, which he purposed in Christ, to action when the times reach their fulfilment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and earth under Christ.’ (Eph.1:10)

Nations on the move in God’s purpose – 250 million living outside their birth country

‘Many shall run to and fro, and knowledgeshall increase.’ (Dan.12:4)

Signs of the times vs. need of the hour?

‘The men (and women) of Issachar understood the times and knew what they should do’ (1 Chron.12:32)

3. Migrants of the Bible

4. “As Jesus said to the migrant”

a. Eastern Magi visited at his birth (Mat.2)

b. Greeks came to talk to him (Jn.12:20-21)

c. Italian Centurion (Mat.8:5-13)

d. Iraqi Samaritan woman (Jn.4)

e. Libyan carried his Cross (Mk. 15:21)

f. Jordanian Moabite DNA from his ancestor Ruth (Ruth 4:16)

g. Jesus was accused of being a Samaritan (Jn.8:48)

5.Jesus’ attitude to migrants – what would Jesus do?

6. A case study - the Samaritans

7. How would Jesus respond to Muslim migrants today?

7aJesus would model Old Testament injunction ‘The alien residing with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the Egypt.’ (Lev.19:34)

7b Jesus would practice “radical hospitality”.

8. Our response – 3 emotional camps

Q&A

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Captivated: hearing God’s Word – ‘People of the Book’ reaching Muslims