Jesus' Heart for the Lost World — K.P. Yohannan

Walking as Jesus Walked

1 John chapter 2, verse 6. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. In the Living Bible it reads like this. Anyone who says he is a Christian should live as Christ lived. How profound and how simple.

From Old Covenant Rules to New Covenant Life

The Old Covenant tells us to do all these things or not to do these things. And if our life is geared to the place and if you live by that kind of paradigm, oh, I'm a Christian, I'm born again, I'm part of Calvary Chapel, or I'm a minister, I'm a Sunday school teacher, I'm supposed to be doing these things, and you make the list and start doing these things, it's okay.

But sooner or later you will run out of your energy. You and I, if you try to do these things, living for the Lord, world evangelism, reaching out, being a good husband, a good father, a radical individual, yes, you can, like Mahatma Gandhi, do a bunch of these things.

But you will always run into the same problem. There is not that deep well. The living water, without hindrance, it never flows. You have to keep pumping the hand pump to get trickles of water. But the New Covenant is not do's and don'ts.

The New Covenant is we are called to be partakers of His nature. It's no more I that lives, but Christ lives in me and through me. I am dead. Blood was the price He paid to purchase me. Now I have no choice of my own, but He is all, and that's all it matters.

Predestination and Becoming Like Christ

So, there's a lot of controversy in theology about predestination and all these different things, but the definition of predestination, Romans 8, 28 and 29, it says there, the Father called you and me predestined for the purpose that we may become like His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Studying Jesus' Humanity and Obedience

Now, I have a habit of once in a while reading to the four gospels to see Jesus. Jesus, the man, I worship Him as God, but I want to follow Him as a man. He lived here on earth in the flesh, tempted in everything that I would be tempted.

Can you imagine every conceivable temptation you and I face, Christ face? Yet, He demonstrated what it means to live on earth, pleasing the Father. And I want to see, as a man, how He lived. His hunger, His thirst, being tired and weary and discouraged and face all the problems, how did He face all these things?

And as I read these portions, I am again and again and again brought to this conviction. Jesus said, I came to seek and to save that which was lost. His commitment to live before the Father, absolute obedience, but then that resulted in His giving His life to reach the lost, finally laying down His life on the cross for us.

A Missionary's Letter from the Ganges

The more I come to know my Jesus, the more my heart ache and hurt for the lost world. It's just automatic. It is like you step onto a door, like the airports. You don't say, door open, you just stand there, it's open, so automatic.

That's what happens. When I first came to America in 1974, I stepped onto one of those things, it's open, I ran back, cuz I never saw anything like this in my life. I said, what did I do? Some years ago in our Dallas headquarters, my wife came to me and gave me a letter and said, you may want to read this letter, but would you read it slow and careful?

And I sat down and began to read the letter. It's a letter that came from Mission Field, from one of our missionaries. When I finished the letter, I was on my knees beside my chair, weeping. The letter came from a dear brother, a native missionary working in Haridwar by River Ganges.

Hindus believe River Ganges came from heaven sent by gods. In your lifetime, if you want forgiveness of sin at least one time, you must go into the river and take a dip in the water and wash yourself.

And believe it or not, if there is a more polluted, dirty, rotten, stinking waters on planet Earth, it is River Ganges. People dump dead bodies by thousands into the river. And one evening when he was coming home, he found a young woman sitting by the bank of the river, weeping uncontrollably and pounding upon a chest.

By culture, you will know something happened to her that is worse than death itself for her to do what she was doing. So he went to her and said, why are you crying? What happened? Her answer, he's writing in that letter.

When I asked the question, she said, you see, my husband is sick. We are poor people and he can't work anymore. And my sins are so many and we don't know what to do. And I'm desperate to find forgiveness for my sins.

And a solution to the problems of my home. I have given the best offering I can give to God as Ganges. My only child, my six-month-old, my boy, I just threw him into the river. He writes, I sat beside her and began to explain to her, but your sins are forgiven when Jesus died on the cross.

All you have to do is simply to believe. God didn't make you sick and poor, he loves you. After he explained the Bible verses and all these things to her, he writes, she wiped her tears and looked straight into my eyes and simply said, but why didn't you come to me half hour sooner?

I didn't have to kill my child. It is too late, isn't it? It is too late. And she went back crying again. When I finished reading the letter, I said to myself, it is not just one little woman that I'm dealing with.

Multiple millions that are crying their eyes out and doing everything they know, but they never heard Jesus died for them. And it began to tear my heart and make me lead to another fresh commitment. I said, Lord, every drop of my blood, every fiber of my being, I lay it before you, Lord, whatever you want to do with it.

Jesus and the Harvest in John 4

I want to see these people come to know you. In the Gospel of John chapter four, you don't need to turn to that, you know this famous story. Jesus, the man, hungry, thirsty, weary, sits there by the well.

And told the disciples, you fellows go and buy some hamburger and French fries and chocolate shake. Now it's in King James. And they go often, they all bring back the food and ask them walking back there, see Jesus sitting there and talking to this lady.

Culturally, you are not supposed to do that. India too, even today it's like that. And they said, what on earth is he doing? But they say, well, he's the boss, let's not talk about it. So they didn't say nothing about it, they came to him and said, Jesus, Master, please eat.

Can you see the picture they're holding, this train, everything, all the disciples? I mean, they are quite eager, their master eat the food first so they can also eat, otherwise they couldn't do it. Then he says, don't worry, I already ate.

That's what you read there, I have food to eat that you do not know about. I mean, in America, you call it, it's a real bummer. I mean, he go through all the headache and this, he already ate. Then they said, did someone bring him something to eat?

I mean, logical question. Then Jesus says the most weird, strange answer. My food is to do the will of my father to send me and finish his work. Good night. He was hungry, we brought him food. He said he ate, now he says he ate God's food, what is that stuff about?

See, Jesus didn't have seminary classrooms, Bible college classrooms to teach. He taught them with the normal daily events, teaching them eternal principles. My precious brothers, don't look for some deep theological books and Greek and Hebrew to hear from God, look at normal daily things.

So he takes the food issue, which is the basic or the basic essential to life. And he says, you know what? You really want to know what happened to me? Well, you went off to get food. They didn't go off to buy a fancy car and stereo and new CD equipments and cameras and fancy clothes and new fashions and new house and all the amazing millions of things that we think we cannot live without.

No, they just went to get some little food. He said, while you were gone, I happened to meet this one lady who did not know my father, and she's moving fast toward eternity, to perish forever. And her face became the window for me to see the harvest.

Multitudes upon multitudes that are dying and perishing and that realization destroyed, consumed, eliminated, wiped out, killed my appetite. And I just can't eat. I'm heartbroken. Those who claim to be his followers must live as Christ lived.

What Hinders Christians from Reaching the Lost

But let me ask you a question. What is the problem? What is it that hinders us from becoming authentic, radical, real, honest, not plastic, superficial, smile, wonderful brother, praise God, and live like a devil?

What is the thing that hinders us? Is it lack of Bible knowledge? I mean, you, my brothers, no, you just get to your car and turn the radio. You've got about 13, 14 Christian radio stations blaring every kind of preaching and teaching and music, I mean, music that put you to sleep and make you happy and something that blows your brains out.

Preaching every kind of teaching. For over a billion people in the land of India, there's not one Christian radio station. What is it that holds us back? We blame the devil all the time. Like a lady came to me in a meeting, and she was fairly large, wonderful, blessed sister, and said, Pastor, would you please lay your hand on me and pray for me?

I said, would you please tell me what I'm supposed to pray for? She said, I got a demon of smoke inside me, would you cast it out? I said, dear sister, I cannot cast out the flesh. Demons you can cast out, but you have to deal with the flesh here.

What's the problem? Jesus said, lift up your eyes. You are looking down so involved, so engrossed about you, your wife, your children, your family, your health and wealth and your exercise, your diet and everything under the sun.

You are consumed about your own life. Look away and see what I see. Then you will understand what is happening to me. In 1974, when I came to United States to go to seminary in Dallas, I didn't know this was happening to me.

Materialism and the Loss of Eternal Perspective

But before I knew it, I was deeply tempted, deceived, and led astray by materialism. It so happened I married a girl from Germany whose parents seems to have quite a bit of money and I didn't have to borrow anything from anyone.

Whatever I wanted, we'll pay cash and get it. Finally, 10 acres of land by the lake and beautiful, fancy, large house and everything you can think about. 70 neckties, all silk imported from Europe, most expensive suits, and library with books that I may never read but look fantastic.

When somebody comes, why this guy is smiling reading those books? Sports magazines laying on the coffee table in the living room and the guest room. I hate sports but I was not doing any dumb, stupid things.

I was pastoring a church also at that time, speaking four times a week. Two years of living like that, finally one day, the Lord in his mercy began to speak to me and said, son, 80 ,000 people die every single day and plunge into hell having never heard my name.

What on earth are you doing with your life? Is this what I called you for? Hey, listen, please don't misunderstand. He was not talking about my house and cars and my land and my materialism, no. He was talking about my heart.

I have friends who are multimillionaires who own factories and airplanes and all that, devout to Jesus, walk with God, serve him, making impact upon this generation. It is not just rich people having money is the problem.

It is my heart, someone that walked on the streets of India and Nepal and Bangladesh and wept over the perishing multitudes now sucked into materialism and only about me, mine, what people think about me, my knowledge, my music, my understanding.

And now the Lord began to just speak to me in love and grace. For weeks I wept and I said, Lord, take eternity and stamp on my eyes every decision I make. Even getting a haircut, Lord, I want to do it in the light of eternity.

Life is so short, so fragile. Jesus changed my heart and I must tell you, the Lord was gracious. I want to tell you something very slow and deliberate and careful. If you please listen with your eyes and your heart, I have been walking with my Lord long enough to tell you this, you will never, never, never know the depth and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ until and unless you are willing to accept death to your own self and embrace the cross, it will never happen.

Self-Centeredness and the Cost of Discipleship

Why I blame the poor? The devil is bad, you know, Baba, the devil is bad, but why the poor devil get blamed for everything in the world? Your enemy is not the devil. The enemy is your own self-centeredness.

Analyze it. And that changed my life forever, by the way, 26 years ago. And that was kind of the beginning of Gospel for Asia, today with 14 ,000 missionaries scattered throughout these nations. It is not because of money and buildings and power and fancy books, no, it is out of debt.

You want to see your life having impact upon the lost world? You know what? I tell you a secret. You know how old you are? You know it. Women, you don't ask how old they are, they'll kill you. Now, just add 100 years to your present age.

If you are 50, add 100 years, you are 150, you are 30, add 100 years, you are 130. I don't think there's one human being sitting here will be here on earth. You will not be living in your house, driving the car, signing your checkbook, and wearing the clothes and the, whatever you are living for, the reputation, honor, whatever you are seeking for, listen to me, nothing, nothing, nothing is going to be here.

It's going to be gone before you know it. I'm 55 now, yesterday I was 16, going to school, what happened the rest of the time, I don't know. If that be the case, what am I supposed to live for? I said to you, a day to see him face to face, be embraced by him, and having a multitude, millions that no man can number, around the throne and say, Jesus, thank you for giving me the grace and privilege to live a life of death and dying continually to reach the lost world.

Oh, I beg of you, make some choices. In one of our pastors' conferences in central part of India, I saw this young brother, 23 years old, a deep scar on his forehead. I said, what happened to you? Because he studied in a Bible school and handsome, young, strong brother, I mean, all of a sudden, before he could answer, the senior pastor standing next to him said, I'll tell you the story, he finished up Bible school, went to a place to plant a church, baptized a couple of dozen people, and finally the local temple Hindu priest got converted and he baptized him.

That is a dangerous thing to do. The following Sunday, a group of men came in a jeep with iron rod, knife, chain, and weapons, walked into the little church, a makeshift little church, right as the believers were watching, they began to beat upon this young brother, left him in a pool of blood with a broken collarbone and one of his hand, and this deep wound on his forehead, said, if you don't leave our community, we are coming back to bury you, don't you stay here.

The news came to our senior leaders, they told him, brother, you should move, you should go to another mission field. I mean, so far we have about 15 or 16 of our missionaries murdered in the last three or four years on the mission field.

We take care of their wives and children and all those things, and we knew this is serious. So this young brother responded, said, I will do what you ask me to do, but would you please listen to me? He said, Jesus sent me to this place.

Then he said, you know, Paul, when he was going on a missionary journey, the Holy Spirit spoke and the believers spoke that he was going to face with a lot of problems and difficulties and even death.

But then he said, I do not regard my life precious to me, all I want to do is to finish the work he gave me. Please don't ask me to go away. If they come back and kill me, every drop of my blood will become a church.

Please don't ask me to go away. Now you listen to the story, you think, wow, that sounds amazing. Don't say that. Are you willing to do that? Am I willing to do that? Jesus came here knowing he's going to die.

Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world. And unless you and I are willing to embrace the same kind of commitment to walk away from whatever is holding us back. A Hindu Brahmin met one of our missionary team in North India, got a gospel tract in his hand.

The Gospel Tract and the Converted Brahmin

This man was on the way to kill himself with the cancer in his body. First time in his life he reads in a booklet about a God who loved him enough to come and die for his sake. And there was a prayer in the end of the booklet, in Hindi language, that he could pray for forgiveness of sin.

On the street, this man on the way to kill himself, prayed to Jesus that he never prayed to before because he never heard about him. And all of a sudden, right on the street, something happened to his heart, such peace came upon him.

He felt good in his body. He went back home and to the hospital and told the doctors, he said, doctors, I feel so good all of a sudden, can you give me another checkup? And they said, well, you know, there's nothing more we can do for you.

He said, please, doc, one more time. And they put him through all the tests and said, what ever happened to you? There's not a trace of cancer in your body. And he pulled the booklet out of his pocket, he pulled the booklet out of his pocket and said, doc, this healed me.

They said, they thought he lost his brains. This man went back to our mission station, told our brothers what happened, and they explained to him more about Jesus. And he began to weep, said, oh, now I know this Jesus is my God.

Then he said, you know what, I am the landlord in my village. Would you come and make all my people Christians? He didn't realize how this thing worked. Two missionaries went with him, began to preach the gospel.

And now there's a glorious church, hundreds of people worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ. The man gave the money, land, the whole thing to build the first church in the community. But you know what, that all happened through one gospel tract that cost less than what I pay for a chewing gum.

Sacrificial Christian Witness in Family Life

Am I willing to look at my life and my time and make decisions that cost me some suffering? Men, my brothers, would you raise your hand if you are married, if you have children? Raise your hand. Hundred percent, almost everyone.

You are deeply concerned about your children's future, their character, your family. I tell you a real story, as I need to conclude here very fast. This child grew up in this home, went to school, born and raised in the United States of America.

His parents born again Christians. He finishes high school. Parents were making plans for his higher studies in universities. During that summer, he prayed, and the Lord seems to speak to him to walk away from everything in the United States, go to Nepal, other nations to give his life to win the lost.

He came and told his parents about it. The parents said, wonderful. They cried. For you see, from the day that little boy was born, the parents prayed, never telling that boy that he will come to know Jesus and that he will commit his life to serve Him with all his heart.

When he went to the mission field, somebody asked him, why on earth you did this? What made you do this? His answer, oh, well, you see, the Lord called me, but maybe more significant, I saw my father and mother living what they talked about in our home.

As you watch the Bangladesh and all the stuff going on and the killing and the incredible need and opportunity, the tsunami and whatever is going on, let me ask you, would it be possible to live a life that your children can watch of your choosing pain, sacrifice, inconveniences for the sake of your master?

You say, Brother KP, what do you mean by that? Well, let me illustrate like this. Your son, your daughter says to your wife, Mommy, Mommy, can I ask you something? Yes, my child, what? How come Daddy, he has not been eating any food last three, four days?

Mommy, usually he's sitting with us and eating breakfast and dinner, and now he's not here. What happened? Is he mad at us, Mommy? Mommy, he also look kind of sad also. Is there any problem? Well, not really.

No, Mommy, please tell us. Well, you really want to know? Yes, sit down. You see, you remember last week when we were watching the television, we saw 100 ,000 people died overnight in the typhoon in Bangladesh and millions of children and people wandering around hopeless.

You remember the tsunami event? Yes, Mommy, I remember. You see what happened? That night, Daddy couldn't sleep. He was so heartbroken. He went to the next room. All night, he was on his knees, and he was praying, looking at the world map.

And then the morning, he told me that he would not want to eat the next few days but fast and pray for the lost world. Oh. Oh, okay, Mommy, thank you. Fifteen years will go by. That boy is now 23. Somebody asked, how come you never got mixed up with all the stupid stuff and spend your money on all kind of gadgets?

What happened? He will say, well, when I was seven, then he tell the story. And he will say, I remember that you will somewhere come to the place or give up pretending and seek to be honest and authentic, which will mean waking up three in the morning with alarm clock, kneeling by the bed, weeping and praying with God's burden, saying no to all the things you want to buy and you dream about.

Practical Steps Toward a Heart for the Lost

They are good, wholesome things. As I conclude, I want to ask you for a few practical applications that you can do. One is this. You make a list of things that the Lord will remind you as you wait before him of things that are holding you back from getting involved with reaching the lost world and having your heart broken for the lost world.

And ask the Lord to give you grace to say no to those things. And I walk in that journey. That's what I'm telling you. Second, get a world map and put it in your house, in your study, in your office somewhere and ask the Lord to put burden upon your heart to pray for the lost world.

Listen, the world is not just our nation here. Half of the world, where you and I sometimes don't even think about, they need to hear the Lord. And have a day of fasting and prayer. Quietly, one meal a week maybe.

If you're trying to lose weight, add one more day to help you. The third thing, pray and ask the Lord if he'll have you commit your life to go and serve him. Yes, you can give your money and all those things, but more sacred sometimes is call upon your life.

We are looking for people, computer people, writers. We are just now trying to launch a 24-hour television channel to reach over a billion people in Asia. We are looking for people who got skill in camera work and editing, whatever stuff.

I don't know what they do, but if you know something about that, we are looking for people to go with us for six months a year or more to serve God overseas. We are looking for people in Dallas. We need 50 new staff members in Dallas.

Right now we are working on taking 50 ,000 children that do not know who their parents are living on the streets of these nations and give them hope and Jesus. And we need people to work behind the scenes in Dallas.

Anyone with a broken heart, even if you don't have any skill, we will teach you all the skill in the world. Just be willing to be a servant. But finally, we have now several thousand missionaries having finished their training like the brothers I've been telling you, ready to launch out of the mission field with a one-way ticket to die for Jesus' sake to plant churches.

But we need people to pray for them. And may the Lord speak to our hearts and draw us close to Him that we may become like Him so that in this generation, the whole world will hear, Jesus is Lord. And millions will come to know Him.

Prayer for Christlike Compassion and Global Mission

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Let us pray. Lord, I told my brothers what I felt You wanted me to say. My feeble words, please Lord, whatever is Yours, would You take those things and do the work in the hearts of my dear brothers and their families that food will remain and people, but millions that do not know You, Lord, go into eternity.

Lord, that we'll become so unselfish to reach out, to pray, to fast, and go and see these people come to know You. Jesus, make us more like You. That's all we want. We love You, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.