Pakistan (MNN) — Unveiling the true identity of Christ, one Bible story at a time.
During Jesus’s time on earth, His disciples experienced a striking revelation — they had met the Promised Savior. Their faith and passion led to generations of disciples who carried the same truth. However, for Muslims, Jesus’s true identity remains a source of confusion. While the Quran acknowledges Him as a prophet, it also states that He will judge the world in the end, creating a contradiction that still leaves a question: Who is He really?
Missionaries in the Middle East are at the forefront of spiritual struggles, committed to uncovering Christ’s true nature for Muslims and other unreached groups.
People look around in a colorful market in Pakistan (Photo courtesy of Umar Farooq via Unsplash)
Steven* spent many years serving Muslims in Pakistan and has learned how difficult it is to uncover the identity of their Savior. Jesus’s direct instructions are key to unraveling the mystery of Christ. Steven says, “Luke 10 is really clear about what Jesus wanted His disciples to go and do, and how they would begin to meet people in new places that didn’t have the gospel yet.”
On one occasion, their teammate entered a village where he met a sick 8-month-old baby. He asked if he could pray for the baby, and the family agreed. The next day, when he returned, the baby was healed.
“And the family said, ‘You healed our baby. How did you do that? Can we pay you money? Can we worship you?’ And he said, ‘Absolutely not! This is what Jesus can do. Jesus is the protector of your baby. Jesus is the healer of all!’ And they said, ‘Tell us more about Jesus.’”
He proceeded to share stories from the New Testament, helping them understand that Jesus is not just a good teacher or a prophet they’ve heard about. He is the one true God. Through stories of Jesus’s power to calm storms, heal the sick, raise the dead, and feed 5,000 people, they began to see Jesus in a new light.
“Our goal is to take them from a misunderstanding of who Jesus is to a correct and full understanding of who He is. And in that process, we are making disciples. Because we are not giving them the answers directly — we are searching the Scriptures with them,” Steven says.
By going through these stories, the Muslim understanding of Jesus is transformed. They start to hope for the future Jesus promises. They testify that the Quran taught them about hate, war, and selfishness, but Jesus taught love, kindness, peace, and caring for others. When the Holy Spirit teaches them from the Word of God, they discover who Jesus is. That is far more powerful than anything they could be told!
“In the end, they choose to become disciples of Jesus — students who learn from Him. They decide to follow Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. When that happens, they are true disciples of Jesus, and they begin to make more disciples. This is exactly what He told us to do,” says Steven.
Pray for wisdom and patience for missionaries in the Middle East. Pray that they may be guided by the true passion for the Gospel. May their hearts be filled with strength as they share the truth of Christ. Pray that seekers in the region are led to the true understanding of who Jesus is and are transformed by His love and grace.
*Full names withheld for security.
Header photo courtesy of Arafat uddin Showrab via Unsplash.
