Celebrating Christ and Transforming Lives - Part 1 — K.P. Yohannan

Displaying the love of Christ by caring for the poor and needy in Asia. Next on The Road to Reality. Well, Christmas is just a couple of weeks away. And don't you just love this time of year? Many of us will be gathering with friends and family, decorating our home and sharing gifts.

Celebrating Christ Beyond Christmas Traditions

But let's not lose sight of what it's really all about. Today on The Road to Reality, we'll be encouraged to celebrate Christ and transform lives this Christmas season. Dr. K .P. Yohannan joins us in studio today.

He's here to tell us about a wonderful opportunity we have to show the love of Christ to those who have never heard of Jesus.

I'm sure you agree, for a lot of people, Christmas, this season, is one of the most precious seasons of the whole year. As a matter of fact, I remember in 1973, December, I flew from India to Germany.

And that's when I learned, dear me, how these German people celebrate Christmas. I mean, I never knew this season could be so elaborate, full of lights and sound. I mean, it's like a whole new world I never knew about.

It took me a while before I will get into the season of Christmas, thinking about it. And of course, later I will say, Lord, it's absolutely amazing that during these few days all over the world, people will talk about Christ coming into the world.

Oh, I agree. A lot of people celebrate Christmas in the most stupid, weird way in the whole world. But for us, those who know the Lord, it means something so very special. I'm sure you agree. But I also want to talk to you about celebrating Christ, Christmas, in a way that will allow us to transform the lives of tens of thousands of people that never ever had a chance to hear the first Christmas story.

The Christmas Story Unheard Among the Nations

Well, I almost can hear you saying, but KP, what did you say? People that never ever heard the first Christmas story? That is true. I never forget some years ago, a bunch of us were traveling from Ajmer, Rajasthan, which is the northwest of India, one of those cities.

And we were driving toward another city. And along the way, we saw this old man plowing his field, two oxen. And of course, you know, he's holding on the plow and plowing the field. And believe it or not, it happened to be the Christmas week.

And we stopped our vehicle, just walk around and, you know, relax. And I decided to walk into the field and talk to this old man. I mean, he was really old, the Rajput, the turban on his head and his oxen.

And when I said to him something in Hindi language addressing him, he stopped. I looked at me. Of course, he realized that I am not from his community. I am from South India, 2000 miles away from his home.

Then I asked him a question. Have you ever heard of Christmas? He looked at me strange. And then he said, what does that mean? Who is he? And he kept on asking these things. Of course, then I realized this man never ever heard the Christmas story.

Then I asked him if he heard the name Christ. He said, no. No one I know by that name here. Well, that actually is the story of nearly 2 billion people that live in our generation. Are you surprised? Well, you shouldn't be.

The Unreached Peoples of Asia

But think about Afghanistan. Some 20 million people live in the country. And it is reported that less than maybe 2000 Christians in the whole country. And that also underground. There is no visible church in the country.

Well, then go to Nepal, Bhutan and Burma, the subcontinent, those nations. Well, I've been there so many times, traveled throughout these communities. Well, now you'll recognize that I am part of a mission organization called Gospel for Asia.

And our commitment and call is to be part of your life together. Somehow getting more people to hear that Jesus actually came into this world. To die for them on the cross. And he was buried and rose again.

And now they don't know how to live in despair and hopelessness with fear of death and hell. Oh, it's good news for all people. So, the next few weeks you're going to be celebrating Christmas. Well, I join you.

As a matter of fact, I can't wait to turn on my iPod and listen to all my favorite Christian Christmas songs. They are wonderful. But may I ask you a question? Would it be possible for us during this Christmas time to say, Dear Lord Jesus, I want to give you a gift.

Gift that will help others to know that you love them. That you cared about them. That you died on the cross for them. That you came into this world just for them. For God so loved the world. Well, I'm sure you would say back to me, Brother KP.

I sure want more people to know about my Jesus. I want them to know about the Christmas story. Well, in that case, let me tell you another story. It was the year 2008. Some of our missionaries were going about throughout some of the most unreached regions in Burma, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Tibet.

Material Gifts and the Cycle of Poverty

These places telling people about Christ coming to this earth. Loving them and caring for them. You know how they did it? They went to some of the poorest communities. People who are so destitute and hungry without any help.

And they began to distribute material things. Such as sewing machine and clothes and chickens and goats and buffalos. And items like these with the intention, We must help at least 50 ,000 families to break the cycle of poverty.

This Christmas will be the best Christmas for them. Because we will tell them why we do it. And I remember hearing the story about some of our missionaries going to this village. Going to this little shack where this man and his wife and bunch of kids live.

Poor, dirt poor. And he happened to be one of those people they picked to give a cow. A cow they can milk and sell the milk and make a living. And the moment they said, we are here to give you a cow. And this is yours.

You have not paid one penny for it. The man began to weep. He just started weeping. And our missionary said, why? What did we do? Of course you know, he would wipe his tears and say, thank you for doing it.

A Cow That Saved a Family from Suicide

This was the day I was going to commit suicide. Then he would explain the poverty, the suffering, the pain and the anguish. My wife and children, I can't bear it anymore. There is no work. My landlord has no work for me.

I don't know what to do. I just want to end my life. And now you people are here to give me a cow? That gave them the opportunity to explain to them. Christ's love and compassion and care for him and his family.

The Gospel's Reach Through Practical Compassion

Of course, the story ends nice. He didn't kill himself. And his whole family come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that story can be repeated hundreds of times, thousands of times. In many of these nations where 14 ,000 plus native or national missionaries are working.

Serving the Lord with Gospel of Asia. Well, I do not know if you ever travel to other nations like India or Tibet or China. Or the Muslim countries or India or Bangladesh or Africa. If you have, you will agree with me.

Recognizing Global Poverty Behind Our Complaints

You will say, Brother KP, our people here in this country have no clue how blessed we are. How privileged we are. To hear this Christmas story, to know the Lord, to be blessed so abundantly. Oh, I agree.

These are kind of hard times. What do you mean hard times? Well, you know, we used to go for a vacation. 2 ,000 miles and this year we can't go for vacation. We just decide to stay home and have the two weeks of rest.

Think about it. Someone said, the beggar you see under the bridge here in the United States or Canada. Happen to be like the richest man in many parts of the world. To own a car, even an old car, you have to be the richest individual in many nations.

Yes, in this generation, in our world. So, we have so many things to complain about. Really? Not so. I agree with someone who said, I complained and murmured about the shoes I didn't have until I saw a man without legs.

My dear brothers and sisters, I speak to you on the behalf of people that are in such great suffering in our generation.

You're listening to The Road to Reality with K .P. Yohannan. How would you like to reach out to a family like the one K .P. just spoke about? Take a look through our Christmas gift catalog at roadtoreality .org for some great ideas on how you can share the love of Christ with a poor and needy family.

Talk about a gift that is meaningful and lasting. Around here, we like to refer to it as the Critter Campaign. On our website, you'll find our Christmas gift catalog. Simply click on the banner, select from a wide variety of gifts, and send it to a family in need.

That's waiting for you now at roadtoreality .org. Again, we're roadtoreality .org. Or call us, if that's easier, at 866-WIN-ASIA. 866-WIN-ASIA. This has been The Road to Reality with Dr. K .P. Yohannan, where we're all about reaching the unreached of Asia.