1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist Sermon Archives. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,040 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,040 Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,280 or contact us at my libertybaptist.org or just look 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,760 us up on Facebook. And now we hope that this 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,080 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,560 So maybe we ask ourselves this question, where does Islam 8 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:29,000 begin? Where did it begin? 9 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,840 Or or maybe a better question that would be this morning is 10 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:36,560 where do the people who believe in Islam believe Islam began? 11 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:40,800 And we can look for Genesis chapter 16 this morning and 12 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,200 where we would not necessarily ourselves see the foundation of 13 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,680 Islam. Yet Islamic authorities would 14 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,760 point to this chapter of scripture, or at least they 15 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:54,800 would point to a particular person as one who was with in 16 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,880 the lineage of what eventually would become Muhammad several 17 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,440 hundreds of years or 1000 years later. 18 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,920 So look at chapter 16 and verse #1 where it says now Sarai, 19 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,520 Abram's wife, bear him no children. 20 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,280 And she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 21 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:16,080 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold, now the Lord hath 22 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:19,920 restrained me from bearing, I pray thee, go in unto my maid. 23 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:22,560 It may be that I may obtain children by her. 24 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:26,720 And Abram hearken to the voice of Sarai, And Sarai, Abram's 25 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:31,080 wife, took Hagar, her maid, the Egyptian, after Abram had 12-10 26 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,480 years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to 27 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,720 be his wife. And he went into Hagar, and she 28 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,880 conceived. And when she saw that she had 29 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:43,720 conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 30 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:45,840 Now, I'm not necessarily preaching from this text this 31 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,040 morning, but remember that anyone who has more than one 32 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:53,280 spouse has more spouses than God ever intended a person to have. 33 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:57,080 And so we look at Solomon, we look at David, and we see that 34 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,560 we talked about this a few weeks ago in Sunday evening service, 35 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,840 that there are many times when a man has more than one wife in 36 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,480 the Bible, that it's not explicitly condemned in those 37 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:09,199 verses. And there were maybe even some 38 00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:11,760 who would say, well, does God endorse polygamy? 39 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:15,480 And I would just say, we'll look at the fruit of the tree that is 40 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:17,800 planted here. And every time there is more 41 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,200 than one spouse involved, it always leads to trouble. 42 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,600 Ask David, ask Solomon, ask Abram here, because this was not 43 00:02:25,640 --> 00:02:29,000 a good situation. What was he supposed to do, wait 44 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:33,360 upon the promises of God? The promise of God was this, you 45 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,880 will have a son, and from that son will become a great nation. 46 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,000 But he circumvented what God had already said. 47 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,040 And by the way, there's a lot of issues that we're dealing with 48 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,480 today in the Middle East. There's a lot of issues that 49 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:50,720 we're dealing today with Islam because believe it or not, Abram 50 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:54,000 simply didn't trust God the way that you're supposed to trust 51 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,280 him. And it's a reminder to us here 52 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,280 this morning that our decisions have far more reaching 53 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,000 consequences than a lot of times we believe. 54 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,000 Our decisions affect our children. 55 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:06,960 Our decisions affect our grandchildren. 56 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:08,440 You say, well, I don't have any grandchildren. 57 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:10,440 Yep, Yep, me neither. But it will affect them. 58 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:13,560 It's hard for me to fathom. That's hard for me to recognize. 59 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,200 But if the Lord tarries, if he doesn't come, the decision to 60 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,560 dine and I make will affect not just my children, but my 61 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,280 grandchildren, my great, great grandchildren. 62 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,280 And it could affect for many, many generations. 63 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,240 That's true for all of us. And so here's what happens. 64 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,080 This is this, this, this, this situation takes place. 65 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:33,040 The Lord Abram tries to circumvent, to try to fulfill 66 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,280 what the Lord has said, instead of just trusting the Lord. 67 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:39,360 And now the situation is going to turn out of control. 68 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,440 Verse 5 And Sarah, I said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee, 69 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:45,440 I've given my maid into thy bosom. 70 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,440 And when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her 71 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:50,520 eyes. The Lord judge between me and 72 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:52,640 thee. But Abram said unto Sarah, I 73 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,720 behold thy maid is in thy hand, to do as it pleaseth thee. 74 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,520 And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. 75 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,200 And the Angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of the water 76 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,840 in the wilderness, by a fountain in the way of sure. 77 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:12,400 And he said, Hagar, Sarah's maid, whence camest thou, and 78 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,640 whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the 79 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,360 face of my mistress Sarai. And the Angel of the Lord said 80 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,160 unto her, Return to thy mistress, Submit thyself under 81 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,040 her hands. And the Angel of the Lord said 82 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,760 unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall 83 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,200 not be numbered for multitude. And the Angel of the Lord said 84 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,680 unto her, Behold, thou art with child shall bear a son shall 85 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,760 call his name Ishmael, because the Lord hath heard thy 86 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,800 affliction, and he will be a Wildman. 87 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,040 His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand 88 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,560 against him, and he shall dwell in the presence of all his 89 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,320 brethren. You say, well, pastor, I see 90 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,520 what you're saying. You're trying to fit Islam into 91 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,200 what it says here about being a Wildman, being against every 92 00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:58,920 man. It'll be a large nation in and 93 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,600 of itself. You're trying to shoehorn this 94 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,440 into Genesis chapter #16 to try to make your overall point. 95 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,520 And the answer is that's absolutely not true. 96 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,560 This is what Islam says of itself. 97 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,280 It says before Muhammad was that they could trace their lineage 98 00:05:15,280 --> 00:05:21,600 back to Muhammad through Adnan. Adnan was supposedly a son of 99 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:27,000 Ishmael and established through Ishmael and Adnam established 100 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,440 the Arab and prophetic line separate from Isaac's line, 101 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,160 which leads to the Israelites. And this is found in classical 102 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:40,000 Islamic historical works such as Eben Ishaqs, Surat Rasul Allah. 103 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:44,000 And so this is not something that I'm just trying to fit into 104 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,160 the word of God. This is Islam saying it. 105 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,720 This is where we come from. If you were to go before 106 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,080 Muhammad. And what we see here from the 107 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,080 word of God is this, there's going to be trouble, there's 108 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,040 going to be difficulty, there's going to be hardship. 109 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:01,160 And So what I'm pointing to is what the Muslims would point to 110 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,400 here, and I'm just highlighting what they would say. 111 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,600 Muslims also consider Ishmael to be a direct ancestor to 112 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,080 Muhammad. So with all of this being said, 113 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,640 and using this maybe as a jumping off point for what we 114 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,800 are going to look at today, we're going to start by 115 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,880 considering the summarizing phrase of Islam. 116 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,120 And the summarizing phrase of Islam would be this. 117 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:28,720 There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet. 118 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:30,520 Maybe you've heard that phrase before. 119 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:35,240 There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet. 120 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:39,120 With this one phrase, Islam is summarized by its adherence. 121 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:45,200 It's reckoned that today there's about 2 billion Muslim believers 122 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,160 in the world. Now we're looking at a globe 123 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:50,600 that has somewhere around 8 billion people. 124 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:56,280 About 25% of the world's population claims to be of the 125 00:06:56,280 --> 00:06:59,720 faith of Islam. And yet we see that while 126 00:06:59,840 --> 00:07:04,120 America is not an Islamic nation and there's somewhere around 127 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:08,320 maybe 5 million of those who claim to be adherents of Islam 128 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,680 in the United States today, yet we do realize that it is 129 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,600 growing. And it is growing in the United 130 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,080 States at a very rapid pace, almost doubling since about 131 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,920 2013. That is large exponential growth 132 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,480 here in the United States. But I think a lot of times, 133 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,280 because we don't necessarily see a lot of Muslims in our 134 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,360 community. And certainly there are some, no 135 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,080 doubt that we see at different places, whether you're going to 136 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:34,680 the store or whether you're just out and around town. 137 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:39,520 There's a Islamic school in Mansfield that is not too far 138 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:45,240 where for some of you all live. Islam is a very, very large, 139 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:47,800 large world faith. Believe it or not, the most 140 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,640 populous Muslim country is not in the Middle East. 141 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:55,880 It's Indonesia, where there are over 200 million who claim to be 142 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,920 Muslim. Pakistan, India and Bangladesh 143 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:03,600 all account for half a billion Muslims in the world population 144 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:08,640 and Muslims are the majority in 49 different countries. 145 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,160 Out of the almost 200 countries around the world, about 1/4 of 146 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,200 them are considered to be Muslim majority countries. 147 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:20,640 So when one thinks of Islam, you likely think of this phrase here 148 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:22,160 that you might have heard before. 149 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,600 Maybe you couldn't have recited it to me, but you're at least 150 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,760 familiar with it. There is no God but Allah and 151 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:32,320 Muhammad is his prophet. Now this phrase is a creed or 152 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,880 it's a statement of faith. For someone to become a Muslim, 153 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:39,200 they must repeat this phrase three different times. 154 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,400 That is their way of maybe we could put it this way, becoming 155 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,080 saved in the Muslim faith that they would have to say three 156 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,680 times within in their heart there is no God but Allah and 157 00:08:49,680 --> 00:08:52,920 Muhammad is his prophet. Now with such a simple 158 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,920 statement, you would probably think it's a pretty simple 159 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,200 religion, wouldn't you? You would think, wow, this, you 160 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,120 could summarize it in one sentence. 161 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:02,120 So there must not be a whole lot to it. 162 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:06,120 And the fact of the matter is that there is a great deal that 163 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,960 comes into the Muslim faith. Now, where did Islam come from? 164 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:15,320 Just a very brief history of it. Around 6:10, ADA man named 165 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:19,720 Muhammad received his first revelation from Allah while in a 166 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:23,080 cave outside of Mecca. You no doubt heard of Mecca 167 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:27,320 before and the pilgrimages that can sometimes take place there 168 00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:31,760 that he received, by his account, a revelation from the 169 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,320 Angel Gabriel. And he believed that the Angel 170 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,760 Gabriel in that revelation was going to kill him. 171 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:39,520 He was surprised. He was shocked that he actually 172 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,960 lived through the experience. But it was yet through that 173 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,720 experience that the basis for what is called the Koran was 174 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:50,080 starting to be written today. Now, Islam spread very quickly. 175 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,400 Now you say how quickly did it spread? 176 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,120 Well, let's consider Christianity for a moment. 177 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,800 That you were to look at maybe a 20 year period after Christ 178 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,360 resurrected and the world was literally fact. 179 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,480 It said that the world was turned upside down by the fact 180 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,640 that the apostles and other missionaries would go around the 181 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:12,520 world just preaching and teaching Jesus Christ. 182 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:17,360 Islam also had a very rapid spread as well, but it's spread 183 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:21,840 was not by what we would call proselytizing or sharing the 184 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,360 faith. The spread of Islam had 185 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:29,920 everything to do with the sword. It had everything to do with 186 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:35,160 Muhammad being not just what is considered a prophet, but a 187 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:38,360 warrior prophet. And you can see just in a very 188 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:45,080 short period of time, from about 622 to around 7:50 AD, the rapid 189 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:50,800 expansion of Islam throughout not just the Middle East, but 190 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:54,960 into Africa, Asia, and then even into parts of Europe, what we 191 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,560 would call Spain and Portugal today. 192 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:05,880 The Quran in Surah 2 verse 216 says fighting is prescribed upon 193 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:09,920 you and you dislike it, but it's possible that you dislike a 194 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:14,760 thing which is good for you. The idea that fighting and being 195 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:17,960 able to fight the infidels was actually a very good thing. 196 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:21,680 The Prophet viewed war as a religious event, slaying those 197 00:11:21,680 --> 00:11:24,440 who do not believe in Allah or in the last days. 198 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:29,840 It says in Surah 9 verse #29 he eradicated the Jews from Medina 199 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:33,320 and ultimately conquered his hometown Mecca with very little 200 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:35,520 resistance. There Muhammad destroyed 201 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,840 hundreds of Pagan idols from Kaaba and established Islam as 202 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:42,320 the official religion of the Arabian Peninsula. 203 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,760 And so you can see that in those just 10 years, that 10 year 204 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:51,560 period in the dark red, how very quickly the Islam faith spread 205 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,800 by the sword. Now after Muhammad's death, you 206 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:58,720 could consider that somewhere around 1400 years of conquest 207 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:02,240 followed the following Christian regions that were conquered by 208 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:10,280 Islamic forces are these Syria 634, Egypt 639, N Africa 700, 209 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:16,280 Spain 711, Morocco 722. In fact, although not overtaken, 210 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,720 even Rome was sacked by the Muslims in 846. 211 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,840 Muslim captured other territory, including Persia 642, 212 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:30,520 Afghanistan 670, Turkistan 715, and West Africa in the late 9 213 00:12:30,560 --> 00:12:32,800 hundreds. And perhaps the greatest 214 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,600 expansion of Islam occurred under the Ottomans. 215 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,680 And you've likely heard of the Ottoman Empire conquered the 216 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:44,240 city of Constantinople in 1453, a city second only to Rome in 217 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,520 its influence. And the Turks would rule much of 218 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:51,000 the civilized world over the next 450 years and even 219 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:55,120 challenge Christian supremacy in the very heart of Europe. 220 00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:58,280 Now, why is this? Well, one of the things that I 221 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:02,480 think is very telling about the faith Islam is that the name 222 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:06,640 Islam, the word Islam means submission or surrender, 223 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:11,520 submission or surrender. And there would be those Islamic 224 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:15,080 historians or theologians who would say that it means 225 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:19,360 submission or surrender to Allah, that it's totally 226 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:23,080 voluntary, that Islam literally means you're surrending yourself 227 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:27,880 to Allah and to Allah alone. And I would submit to you that 228 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:32,280 it is submission or surrender by the sort that is, you will 229 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:35,280 believe that we understand that really when it comes to matters 230 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:38,720 of the heart, can the sword solve anything, that really the 231 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:41,320 heart has to be changed and to truly believe. 232 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,440 And we believe that as believers, don't we, that we 233 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,920 believe that as believers that we can't force anyone or coerce 234 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:50,000 anyone into believing Jesus Christ their Savior. 235 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,640 But yet there is a pervasive amount of fear that you find 236 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:58,640 during this time, fear of death, fear of conquering, fear of all 237 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,000 of these different things. But not everybody would agree 238 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:04,680 with what I just told you. Even some secular historians 239 00:14:04,680 --> 00:14:07,200 would disagree. James Missioner, for example, 240 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,720 said no other religion in history spread so rapidly as 241 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:12,480 Islam. The West has why? 242 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,840 They believe that the surge of religion was made possible by 243 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:20,680 the sword, but no modern scholar except that idea and the Quran 244 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:24,200 is explicit in support of the freedom of conscience. 245 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:29,200 And no offense to Mr. Michener, who passed away about 25 or so 246 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:33,200 years ago, but I would say to James Michener that that is one 247 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,920 of the most preposterous statements that one could ever 248 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:40,440 make because there are many reasons why what he just said is 249 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,240 not true. Well, why is that? 250 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,680 Well, first of all, because. Oh, yeah, you probably could 251 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:47,120 have read that right there. Doesn't that look nice? 252 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,160 All right, we'll move on now. If you don't, you don't have 253 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:50,120 time to read that. We're moving on. 254 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,040 We're moving on. Is it a religion of peace? 255 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:54,760 Well we ask ourselves this. Well the Quran doesn't agree 256 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,920 with what we just read. The Quran does not agree with 257 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,640 that Quran. Surah 9 verse 5. 258 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:04,280 Then when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters 259 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:06,760 wherever you find them and take them captive. 260 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:10,160 Besiege them and prepare for them each ambush. 261 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:14,400 But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor due, 262 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:17,960 then leave their way free. Surah 2191. 263 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:20,120 Slay them wherever you catch them. 264 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:23,040 Turn them out from where they have turned you out, for 265 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,320 persecution is worse than slaughter. 266 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:28,920 Sora 812 I will instill terror into the hearts of the 267 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:32,440 disbelievers. Smitey above their necks, smite 268 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:34,520 all their fingertips off of them. 269 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:38,360 Sora 47 verse 4. So when you meet those who 270 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:42,360 disbelieve in battle, strike their necks until when you have 271 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:46,720 inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds. 272 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:52,440 I would say that's for very specific verses on top of those 273 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,800 I had just told you before that seem that the Quran is 274 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,240 explicitly saying if you were a unbeliever that there are some 275 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:02,280 very severe consequences that should be placed upon you. 276 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,840 Now, Muslim theologians and even from some that I have just read 277 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,960 this week would say, now listen, that those are all in in the 278 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,080 sacred text, but you're taking them out of context. 279 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,400 You're taking them far away from what they meant because they 280 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:20,240 were meant for a specific time or for a specific reason. 281 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:24,360 And I will say I have a little bit of sympathy for that because 282 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:28,120 don't we realize as believers that there are difficult verses 283 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:30,680 in the word of God and someone who's maybe is an unbeliever 284 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:34,200 tries to throw that difficult verse in your face and you say, 285 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,920 well, listen, sure, that verse is in the Bible, but you don't 286 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:40,480 understand the context of that verse. 287 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,600 And so I want to be careful when I present these things to you 288 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,480 that I'm not just throwing random verses at you, that I'm 289 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:50,120 making sure that, you know, I'm being fair with what I say about 290 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:53,000 these other religions. So what I would say that the 291 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:56,880 Quran doesn't agree that it's a religion of peace, that 292 00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:01,480 submission or the submission that means by the sword or 293 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:03,400 surrender. But I would say it's not just 294 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,720 the Quran that doesn't agree with that interpretation that 295 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,400 it's a religion of peace. But Muslim rule countries don't 296 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:14,720 agree with that, just the very fruit of those who live under 297 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:17,680 Sharia law. And there are many nations that 298 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,119 live under Islamic or Sharia law. 299 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,599 Muslim rule countries have no freedom of speech. 300 00:17:24,079 --> 00:17:26,079 They have no freedom of religion. 301 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:30,160 In Muslim rule countries, proselytizing is illegal. 302 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:34,400 You realize that we cannot send missionaries into Muslim rule 303 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:37,560 countries to do what they would do in other countries. 304 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:39,920 Why? They're called closed countries 305 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:42,680 to the gospel. Now listen, no country is closed 306 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,120 from the Lord. The Lord can overrule whatever 307 00:17:45,120 --> 00:17:48,040 any government wants to do, but at the same time, you cannot get 308 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:51,520 a missionary visa to go into Qatar. 309 00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:55,520 You cannot get a missionary visa to go into Saudi Arabia. 310 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,960 There are other means that the gospel has to be propagated, and 311 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,520 typically it's by those who are within that country, those who 312 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,120 already live there. But even those understand that 313 00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:08,320 if they come to Christ, that at best they may be thrown out of 314 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,800 their homes, they may be thrown out of their family, and at 315 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:14,800 worst they may lose their life. Though this is not a 316 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,640 hyperventilating pastor who is just trying to be over the top 317 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:22,520 with you this morning. This is pretty well founded by 318 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,360 what all of us have seen, by what the media often times 319 00:18:26,360 --> 00:18:28,800 hides. But when they do portray it, it 320 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,040 is portrayed as this because it is real. 321 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:37,200 Muslim ruled countries are often places where women are treated 322 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,880 as property. In Saudi Arabia that a woman 323 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,760 could not travel until just a three or four years ago, could 324 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:46,000 not travel without permission from her husband, could not go 325 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,440 anywhere. And I have quotes that I won't 326 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,200 share with you this morning for the sake of time. 327 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,560 But the idea that a woman is a piece of property, that she is 328 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:57,640 not an actual human entity with the rights that a man has. 329 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:01,640 And so we we see that just Muslim countries don't agree 330 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,080 with this. They the very fruit of it. 331 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,720 And by the way, not to take an aside here, but there are Muslim 332 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:11,400 countries like Saudi Arabia who are putting millions and 333 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,040 billions of dollars into things like sports, into things like 334 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,480 entertainment and media. You see all the large 335 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:21,560 skyscrapers that are going up in those areas and theme parks and 336 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:25,160 all kinds of things to try to modernize and to try to give a 337 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,880 little bit of a different look at what a Muslim rule country is 338 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:30,400 like. And so you have to be very 339 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:32,960 careful about that propaganda because that's what it is. 340 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,920 It is propaganda. And so we would say the Quran 341 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:37,480 doesn't agree that it's a religion of peace. 342 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:39,040 Muslim rule countries don't agree. 343 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,240 That's a religion of peace, and jihadists don't agree that it's 344 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:45,200 a religion of peace. Our nation has some very unique 345 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:48,680 experiences, don't we understanding what Muslim jihad 346 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:51,000 is like. The idea that jihadists will 347 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,520 receive virgins as a reward in paradise comes from certain 348 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,920 interpretations of Islamic texts, particularly the hadith 349 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:01,040 literature. And the Hadith describes rewards 350 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,080 for martyrs, including how Reeves, which would be heavenly 351 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:07,880 maidens or heavenly virgins, promise to the righteous in 352 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:09,760 paradise. Now, to be clear. 353 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:14,480 Not every Muslim is a jihadist. I think we need to be clear 354 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:16,040 about that. The Muslim that you meet on the 355 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,800 street here in the United States of America may not believe and 356 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,840 likely does not believe what a jihadist who has been 357 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,800 radicalized believes. But where did those jihadists 358 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:29,240 get those beliefs from? They got them from the very 359 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,400 Muslim texts of which others are not taking a literal 360 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,760 interpretation of. And they are saying, Nope, this 361 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:37,920 is literally what it says, and this is what they're going to 362 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:39,640 do. They do it in the name of Allah. 363 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:44,200 And so I would say that questioning that Islam is a 364 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:46,480 religion of peace comes from three prongs. 365 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,320 That their own holy text does not say it's a religion of 366 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:51,720 peace. That how they live out that 367 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:56,520 religious text in countries that are fully run by Muslim clerics 368 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:00,760 and Sharia law does not agree. And that those who have been 369 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,840 radicalized or those who are living out the very most literal 370 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,840 words that come from the Muslim holy texts. 371 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:13,080 And so by looking at this, we say, wow, this is a very, very 372 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:18,800 dangerous line of thinking and it is spreading like wildfire 373 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:21,120 all around the world. Now. 374 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,840 Islam has five different pillars. 375 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:31,160 The five pillars of Islam are the five core tenets, the five 376 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,720 core beliefs of what makes Islam Islam. 377 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,920 They are signposts that point towards Islam. 378 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:43,040 But I would argue that there are also sign points, sign signs, 379 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:46,680 rather signposts that point away from Jesus Christ. 380 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:52,320 So these are signs that point towards Islam but point away 381 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:54,600 from Christ. Why is it important that we 382 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:56,560 learned this? Well, one apologist says if 383 00:21:56,560 --> 00:22:00,360 you're prepared to deal with these five issues, then you can 384 00:22:00,360 --> 00:22:03,000 really engage in effective ministry. 385 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,880 Again, why are we laying this so bare with us here today? 386 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:09,600 It almost seems like it's cruel or unkind. 387 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,840 No, no, If we want to win someone to Christ that has these 388 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,640 beliefs, we need to know what these beliefs are so that then 389 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,720 we can show what the word of God says about these things. 390 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,960 You know, we don't want to whitewash what they believe to 391 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,320 try to be overly kind here today. 392 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:25,760 In fact, that's not kindness at all. 393 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:30,040 We want to expose what the false belief is so then we can show 394 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,240 how the gospel can free them from this type of thinking. 395 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,520 I think it's very important that we do so. 396 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:38,680 But I'm going to explain the five pillars to you here this 397 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,560 morning in just a moment. But I have a video, a short 398 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:48,560 video that from an Islamic social media account of a social 399 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,480 Islamic group. So not my words, not a 400 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:56,200 Christian's word summarizing Islam, but Islam summarizing 401 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,400 itself and Islam's own words. It's about a 5 minute video that 402 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:01,520 I want to show you and then I'll give you some summarizing 403 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:03,280 thoughts about it. So if we could, let's go ahead 404 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:14,240 and run that. The five pillars are the core 405 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:19,000 beliefs and practices of Islam. The five pillars of Islam are 406 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:20,720 the framework of a Muslim's life. 407 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:26,000 They are the testimony of faith, prayer, giving Zagat, support of 408 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,880 the needy, fasting during Ramadan and the pilgrimage to 409 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,640 Mecca at least once in their lifetime. 410 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:38,840 For those who are able, one profession of faith, Shahada, 411 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,960 the belief that there is no God but God and Muhammad is the 412 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:46,800 Messenger of God, is central to Islam. 413 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:51,080 The testimony of faith is saying with conviction. 414 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:56,160 Allah Allah, Allah Allah Muhammad Rasulullah. 415 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:01,000 There is no one worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad. 416 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,960 Sallallahu ayuwa sallam is the Messenger of Allah. 417 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:08,480 The first part, there is no true God, but God means that none has 418 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,760 the right to be worshipped but God alone, and that God has 419 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:15,640 neither a partner nor son. This testimony of faith is 420 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:19,160 called the Shahada, a simple formula that should be said with 421 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:23,320 conviction to convert to Islam. The testimony of faith is the 422 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:30,880 most important pillar of Islam. 2 Prayer Salat Muslims pray 423 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:36,400 facing Mecca five times a day at dawn, noon, mid afternoon, 424 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:41,080 sunset and after dark. Prayer includes a recitation of 425 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,720 the opening chapter of the Quran and is sometimes performed on a 426 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,440 small rug or mat used expressly for this purpose. 427 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:53,520 Muslims can pray individually at any location or together in a 428 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:57,520 mosque where a leader in prayer guides the congregation. 429 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:03,240 In prayer, a person feels inner happiness, peace and comfort in 430 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:05,400 that God is pleased with him or her. 431 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:10,160 The Prophet Muhammad, said Bilal, call the people to 432 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:12,960 prayer. Let us be comforted by it. 433 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,040 Bilal was one of Muhammad's companions who is in charge of 434 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:21,240 calling the people to prayers. Men gather in the mosque for the 435 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:25,000 noonday prayer on Friday. Women are welcome but not 436 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:28,960 obliged to participate. After the prayer, a sermon 437 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,600 focuses on a passage from the Quran, followed by prayers by 438 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:38,120 the Imam in a discussion of a particular religious topic. 3 439 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:43,800 alms Sagat In accordance with Islamic law, Muslims donate a 440 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:47,120 fixed portion of their income to community members in need. 441 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:51,480 Many rulers and wealthy Muslims built mosques, drinking 442 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:55,960 fountains, hospitals, schools, and other institutions as a 443 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:59,320 religious duty and to secure the blessings associated with the 444 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:03,240 charity. All things belong to God and 445 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:06,240 wealth is therefore held by human beings and trust. 446 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:10,880 The original meaning of the word zicat is both purification and 447 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:13,760 growth. Giving sicat means giving a 448 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,600 specified percentage on certain properties to certain classes of 449 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:21,040 needy people. The percentage due on gold, 450 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:24,520 silver and cash funds that have reached the amount of about 85 451 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:28,680 grams of gold and held in possession for one lunar year is 452 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:33,000 2 1/2 percent. Our possessions are purified by 453 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,640 setting aside a small portion for those in need, and like the 454 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:40,760 pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new 455 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:48,000 growth. 4 Fasting Psalm During the daylight hours of Ramadan, 456 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:51,560 the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, all healthy adult 457 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:54,520 Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink. 458 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:58,400 Through this temporary deprivation, they renew their 459 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,880 awareness of and gratitude for everything God has provided, 460 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,840 including the Quran, which was first revealed during this 461 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:08,760 month. During Ramadan, they share the 462 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:12,080 hunger and thirst of the needy as a reminder of the religious 463 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:17,760 duty to help those less fortunate. 5 The Pilgrimage to 464 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:24,240 Macaw The Annual Pilgrimage Hajj to Macaw is an obligation once 465 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,800 in a lifetime for those who are physically and financially able 466 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,280 to perform it. About 2 million people go to 467 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:34,520 macaw each year from every corner of the globe. 468 00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:39,240 Although Macaw is always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj 469 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:42,000 is performed in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. 470 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:46,560 Male pilgrims wear special simple clothes which strip away 471 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,080 any distinctions of class and culture so that they stand equal 472 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:53,480 before God. The rights of the Hajj include 473 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:57,760 circling the Kaabah 7 times and going 7 times between the 474 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:01,920 hillocks of Safa and Marwah, as Hagar did during her search for 475 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:04,600 water. Then the pilgrims stand together 476 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,320 in Arafah and ask God for what they wish and for his 477 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,200 forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the 478 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:15,000 Day of Judgment. The end of the Hajj is marked by 479 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:19,920 a festival, Eid al Ada, which is celebrated with prayers. 480 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:24,880 This and Eid al Fitter, A feast day commemorating the end of 481 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:28,120 Ramadan, are the two annual festivals of the Muslim 482 00:28:28,120 --> 00:28:32,320 calendar. Right. 483 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:34,920 I think we could see from that that there's some major 484 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,720 differences, aren't there, between biblical Christianity 485 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:40,080 and Islam. And one of the things that I 486 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:43,360 want to impress upon you today is the fact that there are many 487 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:47,560 within Islam, but there are also many outside of Islam that try 488 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:53,280 to make clear to us as Bible believers that Islam and 489 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:54,840 Christianity really aren't that different. 490 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:57,320 They're just different expressions of the exact same 491 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:00,520 God. You call him Jehovah, we call 492 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:03,160 him Allah, but it's really just one God. 493 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:07,520 And I would say to you that, well, really, those who know 494 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:09,560 Islam understand that's not true. 495 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:11,880 It was just the first time I watched that video. 496 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:15,880 Just the stark impression on my mind was the cross with the 497 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,360 circle and the arrow going through it. 498 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:21,520 The thought that they said no to Jesus Christ. 499 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:26,280 If you could summarize Islam in just one slide, it would be that 500 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,880 picture that it's no to Jesus Christ. 501 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:32,560 And so that and that alone would prove to us no, they are not the 502 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,560 same that they cannot be compatible with one another. 503 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:38,480 That Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life and that 504 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,080 no man cometh under the father but by me. 505 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:44,480 And they expressly say we are not going through Jesus Christ, 506 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,640 we are going through Allah, which tells us that they are not 507 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:49,880 the same religion. But there are those again, who 508 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,960 are outside of even Islam that would say, and I mentioned to 509 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:55,520 you before that here in our town that the human Rights Committee 510 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:58,880 wants woman. That was very clear and saying 511 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:03,640 that Christianity and Judaism and Islam are all exactly the 512 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:06,800 same, that there is not any difference between one another, 513 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,400 that they're all expressions, different expressions of the 514 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,160 same God. And I would say to a true Islam 515 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:16,320 adherent, a Bible, even Christian and even a practicing 516 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:18,400 Jew would all say that's not true. 517 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:20,240 We, we all believe different things. 518 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,960 And so understand that there is that desire for unification, 519 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:27,760 that there is that desire for peace within, in one another and 520 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:29,360 harmony. But I would say to you that 521 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:33,560 unification cannot come apart from truth, that unity is a 522 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:35,160 wonderful thing. I like unity. 523 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:37,360 I'm glad that we have unity here at Liberty Baptist Church. 524 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:40,480 But our unity comes through the truth of Jesus Christ, doesn't 525 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:42,240 it? That you believe in Jesus and I 526 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:44,440 believe in Jesus. There's unity, but there cannot 527 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:47,920 be unity between those two. It's a square peg and a round 528 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:49,880 hole. There's no way to be able to put 529 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:51,360 them together. That doesn't mean that we're not 530 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:55,280 civil and polite and loving and kind to those who are the 531 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:57,320 Islamic faith we should be. Why? 532 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:00,920 Because we want to show them Jesus Christ, but at the same 533 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,640 time we cannot pretend that it's something it's not for the sake 534 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,680 of false unity, because that is something that Jesus Christ 535 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,400 himself would not have done. Because he was never one to put 536 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:15,560 aside truth in the sake of love. He spoke the truth in love and 537 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:18,240 that's why people came to him the way that they did. 538 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:22,720 So just as a review, what are these five pillars of Islam? 539 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:25,880 The 1st is the creed acknowledging Muhammad as the 540 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,920 prophet of Allah. The believer now submits oneself 541 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:31,760 to the teachings of Islam. The Quran, the holy book of 542 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:35,160 Islam, becomes the guiding principle of life and eternity. 543 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:40,000 And Muhammad is now the example by which a Muslim lives. 544 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:44,440 And Muhammad is revered as like a God in many different ways. 545 00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:47,800 So first was the creed. The second is the time of 546 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:51,280 prayer, the lifeline of Muslims. Prayer is the central practice 547 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:53,640 of Islam. Muslims are obligated to pray 548 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:57,160 five times daily. They wash themselves beforehand, 549 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:00,360 recite their prayers in Arabic while prostrating themselves 550 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:03,280 before Allah. The Muslim is also required, as 551 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:07,040 we saw it, to pray specifically on Fridays at noon with their 552 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,760 Islamic community. If a Muslim does not pray 553 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:13,560 regularly, he will forget about Allah and His greatness. 554 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:18,160 And we saw a minimum of five times a day before dawn, noon, 555 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:22,720 late afternoon at sunset and night time in Islamic rule 556 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:26,040 countries, there will be the call to prayer that is made out 557 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:29,760 loud for everyone to hear. And I will say some of the most 558 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:34,160 faithful people to prayer that I've ever seen have been Muslims 559 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:36,440 over the years. I've not unusual. 560 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:40,320 I can think of two different occasions that I've seen someone 561 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:44,080 who has been praying, pointing themselves towards Mecca. 562 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:48,160 Once at a rest stop in Connecticut pulled over to the 563 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:50,280 side and they had pulled over the side. 564 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:53,920 I believe it was the sunset time for prayer and they had pulled 565 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:58,240 over to a corner of the parking lot and then had been saying 566 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:02,640 their prayers here in Easton over at the Burger King, not too 567 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:04,400 far from here. The same idea was that time of 568 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:08,280 day that they pulled over to the side a corner of the parking lot 569 00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:10,400 and prayed. And I want to tell you that 570 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:14,440 there are many of Islam who are very devoted to their faith. 571 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:16,840 I would say that's a devotion that sometimes Christians don't 572 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:18,280 have. I'm going to Burger King. 573 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:20,000 I tell you what I'm going for. I'm going for a Burger King 574 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:24,200 sandwich is what I'm going for. And if I'm going to rest stop in 575 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:26,160 Connecticut, I really, I just want to keep on going 'cause I 576 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:27,720 don't stop in Connecticut. All things considered. 577 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:29,480 I don't even want to be on 95, you know. 578 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,640 But I will say there is a devotion that's there. 579 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:37,760 But devotion does not mean truth, and we have to be able to 580 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:40,080 understand that just because they are devoted, they are 581 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:42,560 devoted to something that is false. 582 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,240 But I do think that we can take some thought from that and even 583 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:48,000 use that. And we'll look at this in the 584 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:50,240 next couple of weeks to be able to use their dedication to 585 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:53,760 prayer, to be able to talk to them about our relationship with 586 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:55,840 Jesus Christ. So there's fasting. 587 00:33:56,120 --> 00:34:00,720 And of course the Ramadan time of feasting is a one month time 588 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:05,160 where there is an abstentation from food, drink and stimulus, 589 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:09,400 activity and even marital intimacy, except it can be 590 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:13,880 broken of food and drink at night and this takes place of a 591 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:16,880 time of self restraint. Oh I got them in the wrong 592 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:18,920 order. So it's fasting almsgiving. 593 00:34:19,159 --> 00:34:23,239 And you saw almsgiving. 2.5% is the amount of which they are 594 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:26,320 required and it is given through their church or through other 595 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:30,719 charitable organizations. This is given and then also the 596 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:34,520 pilgrimage and this is the climax of the Muslim experience. 597 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,480 Followers of Islam who are physically and financial able 598 00:34:37,679 --> 00:34:40,520 are required to visit the holiest city of Islam. 599 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:44,520 Did you get the connection there between Ishmael Hagar, the 600 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:47,480 mother of Ishmael? We just read this and they made 601 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:50,159 that connection themselves. This was not something, again, 602 00:34:50,159 --> 00:34:53,480 that I put into this text myself, but it was found by 603 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:55,960 them. This is what they would point to 604 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:58,160 as well. The structure, do you see that 605 00:34:58,160 --> 00:35:00,240 cube that they were walking around there? 606 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:04,400 That structure most Muslims believe was first established by 607 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:07,960 the Old Testament prophet Abraham as the first House of 608 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,600 worship on earth had become corrupted with hundreds of idols 609 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:14,160 by the time of Muhammad. But Muhammad destroyed all the 610 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:17,920 idols, restored the worship of Allah that Abraham had begun. 611 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:22,440 So again, to take that which is found in the word of God and to 612 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,320 corrupt it and to turn it into a lie. 613 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:29,120 And Muslims face this building to perform their daily prayers 614 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:30,840 from wherever they live in the world. 615 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:33,400 And at least once during their lifetimes, they are required to 616 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:35,480 circle the cube building and pray. 617 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:38,960 Additional duties include visiting Muhammad's last sermon 618 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:42,680 site, throwing stones at the devil, and sacrificing an 619 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:46,840 animal. So these are the five pillars of 620 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:50,360 Islam, and it's a very brief description of the tenants of 621 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:54,240 Islam to give you a little bit of a better idea of what it is. 622 00:35:54,240 --> 00:35:58,040 Now, the Quran summarizes the pillars in this way. 623 00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:02,200 And listen carefully. Those who believe and do deeds 624 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:06,120 of righteousness and establish regular prayers and give 625 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:11,960 almsgiving will have their reward with the Lord Surah 2277. 626 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:15,160 I'm going to read that again. Listen carefully, those who 627 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:19,080 believe and do deeds of righteousness and establish 628 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:23,360 regular prayers and give alms giving will have their reward 629 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:26,760 with the Lord. Now do you notice the ands of 630 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,240 that verse? Do you notice the ands that are 631 00:36:29,240 --> 00:36:32,680 found there? Is having a reward with the Lord 632 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:36,760 in Islam believing in Allah? The answer is no. 633 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:42,080 It's believing in Allah and do this and do this and do this 634 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:44,760 that you must adhere to all five of the 10s. 635 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:47,120 Now at the beginning you might have remembered that I said if 636 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:49,960 you were to receive the creed three times, that you were to 637 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:53,520 become a believer at that time. But that in and of itself is not 638 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:56,880 enough to secure salvation within the Muslim faith. 639 00:36:56,880 --> 00:37:00,200 You know, you have to not just say the creed, but you must do 640 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:04,040 all of these for the rest of your life to be able to have any 641 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:07,120 hope of eternal life at that Judgement Day. 642 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:10,440 And at the Judgement Day you will find if you go to heaven or 643 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:13,920 you go to hell, could I tell you that that is an absolute. 644 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:19,600 That's such a sad thing to think that someone could adhere to all 645 00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:22,640 those things and perhaps they didn't have the ability or, or 646 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:25,280 perhaps maybe they did have the ability or, or who who decides 647 00:37:25,280 --> 00:37:27,600 if they have the ability or not to go to Mecca or not? 648 00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:30,640 And maybe that's the reason they don't go to heaven and they 649 00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:32,040 won't know that till the Judgment Day. 650 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:34,360 They won't know if they've done good enough to the Judgement 651 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:35,640 Day. They won't know that they have 652 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:37,600 done enough. So again, it's another one of 653 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:41,120 those lines of faith where it's not just about what has already 654 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:45,440 been done, but it's about what you do, your own works of 655 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:47,840 righteousness, all of these. Ands. 656 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:50,920 Now there's several quotes here that I have from some 657 00:37:51,240 --> 00:37:54,920 apologists, Christian apologists about the five pillars and about 658 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:57,400 Islam that I think would be good for us to heed. 659 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,360 But once said this, the five pillars of Islam offer a 660 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:04,480 framework of works based righteousness that cannot bring 661 00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:08,760 a Sinner to peace with God. They failed to address the need 662 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:11,440 for grace through faith in Christ alone. 663 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:16,200 Lee Strobel, you might know him from the The Case for God, that 664 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:20,720 book that was written several years ago that has a wonderful 665 00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:22,880 book in many ways if you have the chance to read it. 666 00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:26,480 Lee Strobel said Islam's 5 pillars focus on outward 667 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:29,360 religious duties, but lack the inner transformation and 668 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:33,760 forgiveness that Christianity teaches through Jesus sacrifice. 669 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:37,320 Another the five pillars are an attempt to earn favor with God 670 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:40,480 through deeds, but the Bible makes clear that salvation is a 671 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:45,840 gift, not the results of works. Another says Islam's emphasis on 672 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:49,600 ritual and law through the five pillars misses the gospel of 673 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:53,880 grace and redemption by Christ's blood. 674 00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:58,720 It's amazing to me that we can have some commonality in names, 675 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:03,360 Abraham, Ishmael, Hagar, that there can be commonality and 676 00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:07,800 things like prayer, fasting, even alms, giving offerings with 677 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:09,920 Stewardship Sunday. We're be talking about those 678 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:11,920 types of things today. That we can have some 679 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:15,800 commonality in certain things, but realize that there really is 680 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:20,840 no commonality because it all comes down to this Jesus Christ. 681 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:25,160 And if you deny Jesus Christ, then you cannot have truth in 682 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:28,680 your line of thinking, whether it's a religion, whether it's a 683 00:39:28,680 --> 00:39:31,000 cult, or whether it's your own personal beliefs. 684 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:34,520 If you deny Jesus Christ, you are denying the truth of what 685 00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:37,560 faith is truly all about. You say, well that's that's so 686 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:40,440 exclusive. Why would you say something so 687 00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:42,000 exclusive? Well, because Jesus said 688 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:45,040 something so exclusive. But I'd also remind you that 689 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:48,560 it's so inclusive that all are called to be saved. 690 00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:51,760 Oh, sure, it's exclusive. There is one way, but that one 691 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:56,240 way is open to all. It's open to you and it's open 692 00:39:56,240 --> 00:39:58,680 to me. I don't deserve it. 693 00:39:59,880 --> 00:40:02,040 If you think you deserve it, you've missed what grace is all 694 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:03,400 about. None of us deserve it. 695 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:07,040 We were all sinners in need of a Savior, yet He saved us through 696 00:40:07,040 --> 00:40:10,200 His precious blood. Now, next week, we're going to 697 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:12,400 look at some of the fundamentals of our faith. 698 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:15,280 And how they compare to Islam. So we'll look at some of our 699 00:40:15,280 --> 00:40:17,320 fundamentals and compare them to Islam. 700 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:20,200 And by the next week, Lord willing, we'll talk about how to 701 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:22,360 engage with someone who is a Muslim. 702 00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:25,600 We meet these folks all over the place and in many walks of life. 703 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:28,320 And if you're not careful, you might try to avoid them because 704 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:30,240 you don't know how to have a conversation with them. 705 00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:34,080 And I will tell you that you can have a Bible based conversation 706 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:37,600 with someone who is a Muslim and that the gospel can be glorified 707 00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:39,120 in that. And you don't have to be 708 00:40:39,120 --> 00:40:41,840 intimidated because we have the truth. 709 00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:45,440 The truth is within us because of what Jesus Christ did for us 710 00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:48,440 through salvation. Thank you for listening to the 711 00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:51,040 sermon from the pulpit of Liberty Baptist Church. 712 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:54,640 If this message was a blessing to you, or if there's any way we 713 00:40:54,640 --> 00:40:57,800 can serve you, please let us know by contacting us at 714 00:40:57,920 --> 00:41:02,680 info@mylibertybaptist.org. Or you can visit us this Sunday 715 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:06,560 at 800 Washington St. in Easton, MA. 716 00:41:06,840 --> 00:41:09,640 May the Lord bless you as you grow in His Word.