Reaching Muslims with God's Love and the Gospel

Jul 05, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Abraham’s Knife and God’s Unsparing Love

When Abraham raised the knife over his son, he revealed a love willing to surrender everything. God’s love goes further: He did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for all. This sacrificial love answers the deepest questions of the human heart, dismantling objections with divine logic. It proves God’s commitment to rescue sinners, not from a distance, but through the costly gift of Christ. The gospel shines brightest when it meets sincere doubt with unflinching truth. [46:18]

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NASB)

Reflection: What doubt or question about God’s love have you struggled to answer? How might His unsparing sacrifice for you reshape that conversation?

Day 2: Flocks of Qedar Gathered at God’s Altar

Isaiah’s prophecy declares that the descendants of Ishmael—those once distant from God’s covenant—will bring offerings to His altar. This is not a metaphor. God’s eternal plan includes Arab and Muslim people as recipients of grace, not enemies of it. Their inclusion fulfills His promise to bless all nations through Abraham. Every cultural barrier crumbles before the Shepherd who calls His sheep by name. [59:04]

“All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will go up with acceptance on My altar.” (Isaiah 60:7, NASB)

Reflection: Who in your life feels “too far” from God’s grace? How does Isaiah’s vision challenge you to see them through His covenant promises?

Day 3: A Book That Opens Eyes to the Gospel

A single book, written in weakness and revised through years of prayer, became a bridge for thousands to Christ. Tools matter. God uses ordinary resources—words on a page, a friend’s testimony—to dismantle spiritual strongholds. When believers invest time, research, and love into answering sincere questions, darkness flees. The gospel thrives where truth meets humility. [01:11:01]

“Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” (1 Peter 3:15, NASB)

Reflection: What resource or skill has God placed in your hands to share hope? How could you steward it more intentionally this week?

Day 4: Cornelius’ Thirst in a Muslim’s Heart

Like Cornelius, many Muslims pray, give, and seek God without knowing Him. Their thirst is real, even if their cups hold bitter water. God sees their hunger for acceptance and answers through those willing to cross cultural divides. The gospel is not a Western message but a divine invitation: “God does not show favoritism.” [01:26:00]

“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.” (Acts 10:34–35, NASB)

Reflection: Where have you assumed someone’s religious background disqualified them from seeking God? How might you approach them with fresh eyes?

Day 5: Loving Enemies in the Shadow of War

Political wars fracture relationships, but the gospel rebuilds them. Jesus’ command to love enemies is not idealism—it is the only path to eternal peace. Supporting one side’s violence alienates the other. The cross demands neutrality in earthly conflicts and radical allegiance to heaven’s kingdom. True love risks being misunderstood to proclaim Christ’s reconciling blood. [01:33:28]

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:44–45, NASB)

Reflection: Which conflict or division tempts you to take sides instead of praying? How might intercession soften your heart to love as Jesus does?

Sermon Summary

God’s promise to Abraham sets the agenda. Genesis 12 says God will bless Abraham so that through him all families will be blessed. Genesis 18:19 insists that this covenant runs on righteousness and justice, not favoritism or tribalism. The text keeps pressing outward. God sees Hagar, names Himself the God who sees, hears Ishmael, saves him in the desert, and promises to make him a great nation. Genesis 17 records God’s “I will surely bless him” over Ishmael, and the record of Kedar and Nebaioth becomes a thread Isaiah 60:7 pulls tight when it says their offerings will be accepted on God’s altar. John 10:16 then lands the point. “Other sheep” must come into one flock under one Shepherd.

The gospel itself answers Muslim objections from inside that Abrahamic story. The question Muslims ask is sharp. If God is a Father, how could He watch His Son die and do nothing? Abraham’s knife and son say otherwise. Abraham did not stand by. He raised the blade. Romans 5:8 and 8:32 interpret that pattern. God demonstrates love by giving the Son. If Abraham’s willingness proved perfect love for God, then God’s giving proves perfect sacrificial love for sinners. The call is simple and immediate. Repent. Trust Jesus. Receive the Spirit. Discover that Jesus is more than a prophet and that if God gives His Son, He will give everything needed for life with Him.

The harvest is promised and already underway. Isaiah 19 announces “Egypt my people” and “Assyria the work of my hands.” Acts 2 shows Arabs hearing the mighty works of God in their own tongue. Recent decades have seen more Muslims come to Christ than the previous fourteen centuries. God does not need human help, but He desires to use ordinary believers so their lives carry weight now and forever.

A sober warning runs beside the hope. Politics and war have muddied the waters. When Christians bless bombs, Muslims do not hear good news, only enmity. Romans 10 says people cannot call unless they believe, cannot believe unless they hear, cannot hear without messengers. So the church must refuse stumbling blocks, become all things to all people, and remove needless offense. Cornelius stands as a template. God hears the sincere seeker, confronts prejudice, and opens the door by the Spirit.

The Prince of Peace defines the tone. The Spirit of love enables love for Jews and Palestinians, Russians and Ukrainians, Iranians and Chinese. The New Testament builds peacemakers, not partisans. Fulfillment, not replacement. Faith and obedience, not ethnicity. One flock. One Shepherd.

Key Takeaways

1. Use Abraham to answer objections The pattern of a father giving a beloved son is already embedded in Abraham’s story. Romans 5:8 and 8:32 interpret that pattern as God’s perfect love displayed at the cross. Starting on shared ground lets the beauty and logic of the gospel land without caricature. Emotional resonance becomes a doorway for spiritual clarity. [46:34]
2. Expect Ishmael’s heirs to come home God’s “I will surely bless him” over Ishmael grows into Isaiah’s promise that Kedar and Nebaioth’s offerings will be accepted. The family record becomes a salvation roadmap that points to Arab descendants gathered into worship. Hope is not wishful thinking here. It is covenant memory on the move. [59:04]
3. Refuse politics that fog the gospel When Christian lips bless war, Muslim ears hear enmity, not good news. The mission gets chained to a flag and the cross gets hidden. The church’s task is not to pick sides but to remove obstacles, speak peace, and make Jesus intelligible. Losing offense wins a hearing. [72:03]
4. Send messengers where pulpits are silent Romans 10 will not let the church shrug and say they should know better. Many Muslims are thirsty people drinking salty water, without teachers, Scripture, or church. Beauty belongs on their doorstep in their language, carried by patient feet that refuse superiority. [83:47]
5. Become peacemakers powered by the Spirit The triune welcome is experiential, not theoretical. Repentance toward the Father, faith in the Son, and life in the Spirit produce new loves that cross old lines. The Spirit makes enemies neighbors and rivals brothers, while politics keeps them armed. Choose the power that raises the dead. [92:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[34:51] - Prayerful beginning and purpose
[36:31] - Vision to reach Muslims together
[38:30] - Introducing “God Loves You, My Muslim Friend”
[42:42] - Muslims’ sincere questions unmet
[43:24] - Abraham’s sacrifice answers objections
[46:34] - God’s sacrificial love in Romans
[49:58] - Bridging with Acts 17 wisdom
[51:30] - Blessing all nations through Abraham
[59:04] - Kedar and Nebaioth will come
[60:13] - Other sheep, one Shepherd
[61:19] - Egypt my people, Assyria my work
[72:03] - Politics that block the gospel
[83:47] - How will they hear
[85:27] - Cornelius and Spirit-led openness

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Genesis 12:1-3 (NASB)
John 10:16 (NASB)

Observation Questions

In Genesis 12:1-3, what specific promises does God make to Abraham, and what is their ultimate purpose?
According to John 10:16, who are the “other sheep” Jesus refers to, and how does this connect to the sermon’s emphasis on God’s inclusive covenant?
The sermon highlights that God’s covenant with Abraham “runs on righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19). What examples of God’s justice and care for outsiders (like Hagar and Ishmael) are mentioned in the sermon? [56:22]
How does Romans 5:8 and 8:32 reinterpret Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac as a model for understanding God’s love? [46:34]

Interpretation Questions

Why is it significant that God’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis 18:19 requires “righteousness and justice” rather than favoritism? How might this challenge common assumptions about who God prioritizes?
Isaiah 60:7 prophesies that offerings from Kedar and Nebaioth (Ishmael’s descendants) will be accepted by God. What does this reveal about God’s long-term plans for people groups often seen as outsiders?
The sermon warns that “when Christians bless bombs, Muslims do not hear good news” (Romans 10:14-15). Why might political alignment hinder the gospel’s clarity, and how does this relate to the church’s mission? [01:12:03]
Acts 2 describes Arabs hearing the gospel in their own language. How does this event foreshadow the global and diverse nature of God’s kingdom?

Application Questions

The sermon warns against letting politics “fog the gospel.” What current cultural or political biases might you need to examine to avoid hindering your witness to others? [01:12:03]
How could you intentionally build relationships with people from backgrounds different from yours (e.g., Muslims, immigrants) to reflect God’s heart for “one flock” under Jesus?
The sermon emphasizes using Abraham’s story to answer objections about God’s love. What shared values or stories (e.g., sacrifice, justice) could you use as bridges to discuss Jesus with someone skeptical of Christianity? [46:34]
Romans 10:14-15 stresses the need for messengers to share the gospel. What practical step could you take this week to help someone without access to Scripture or Christian community hear about Jesus?
The sermon challenges believers to “become peacemakers powered by the Spirit.” In conflicts you witness (e.g., political, racial), how could you actively model reconciliation instead of taking sides? [01:32:30]
Reflect on a time you struggled to love someone you perceived as an “enemy.” How might repentance and reliance on the Holy Spirit transform your ability to love across divides?
The sermon notes that many Muslims are “thirsty people drinking salty water.” How can your church better equip believers to offer the “living water” of Christ to those trapped in spiritual dryness? [01:24:27]

Sermon Clips

62s

#ReadTheNewTestament

“``Read the New Testament, pastor. Read the New Testament. Our message should be when I repented of my sins, when I decided to forsake my sins and put my faith in Christ, I became a child of God. God's spirit came to live within me and the bible look, the bible said God is love. The spirit of love came to to live within me and enabled to love all the Israelis, to love all the Jews, to love all the Palestinians, to love all the Iranians, to love all the Spanish, to love the Russian, especially to love the Chinese. Because God made so many of them.”

88s

#BecomingChildOfGod

“If you decided now to forsake your sins, to let go, not do anything wrong you know you are doing, repent, and you decided to put your faith that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sins, the most awesome thing will happen to you. You will become a child of God and the holy spirit will come to live within you and you will enjoy God's presence and you will know that you are going to heaven. Muslim will tell you, really? Yes. Right now. And when that happen to you, two awesome things will happen. you will discover and experience that Jesus is more than a prophet. He is divine. He's your only savior because when you put your faith in him, you became a child of God. you will discover that if God gave you Jesus, then he's gonna give you everything good in your life now and forever as you seek to walk with him by faith.”

61s

#GodUsesTheHumble

“I start writing the book nineteen ninety eight, and my family told me, nobody's talking about Muslims. What are you doing? Write book for Mormons for Jehovah Witness but Muslims. Nobody's talking about them. Nobody like them in America. And God said, write the book. And after the book, nine eleven happened. After that couple of years, Chuck Smith interviewed me on K Wave, hundreds of pastors. He did the interview. God opened a huge door. We had the book already. It was in a bad shape. It was not like that, but God used it. Because God used the despised things of this world to put to shame the strong and the rich and the powerful. you tell me God is not gonna use you? God's gonna use you. God used me. I was pumping gas. I was working as a waiter.”

77s

#GraceForAllNations

“God promised to save Muslims in Egypt. Egypt previously, the oppressor of Israel, oppressed the Jewish people. God said, I wanna have a good relationship with them, a covenant relationship with the people of Egypt. God's transforming grace. Isaiah nineteen twenty five, god said, blessed be Egypt, my people, Assyria, the work of my hand, Israel my inheritance. This highlight no one is beyond the God's grace. No one. Even the most wicked person. Okay. Assyria is known throughout history of brutality and a fierce fierceful, horrible enemy to Israel, the people of god. God said it's okay with me. I love my enemies, and I commanded you to love your enemies. Old Testament.”

60s

#RepentReceiveSpirit

“This is what the bible is all about. So the only way you can live in peace with each other and love each other and forgive each other is repenting. We all need to repent. I'm sorry. We are all sinners. You need to repent and receive God's grace and God's salvation through the holy through faith in Jesus, so the holy spirit will come to live within you. Have you noticed incidentally, we communicated the triune nature of God. Right? You've been listening or what? Yes. Yes. We communicated the triune nature of God. You talk to God. You repent. Relying on what Jesus Christ has done for you, paid the penalty for your sins, holy spirit will come to live within you.”

72s

#GodHearsSeekers

“Most of the Muslim people are like Cornelius. You remember Cornelius in Acts 10? Cornelius was neither a Jew nor born again Christian, but the bible records he believed in God. Okay? Muslims believe in God. They don't know who God is. Cornelius didn't, but he believed in God, the creator. He was seeking to please God. Praying. He was a good generous man helping the poor. And the Bible said, God heard his prayers. He spoke to him through a vision. And and God helped Peter to overcome his prejudice against a god fearing man like Cornelius. Because Peter thought, oh, it is unlawful for me to to associate with any non Jewish person. God told him, no. There is no person unclean or no person the bible is for all people, for god's sake.”

53s

#UsedByGrace

“Why God doesn't need us? God can send a 100,000,000 angels in human form and tell people about Jesus, and we are out of here. However, God spoke to me many times and told me, Sammy, even though I don't need you, but I want to use you. And I asked God, okay. But I have a sinful nature. I am not perfect. I make mistakes. Maybe you will use me a little bit. God said, no. My grace will cover you. I will fill you with my spirit. I wanna use you in a big way. Why me? And God said, no. Not you. I wanna use all my children in the most way possible if they believe.”

50s

#LoveGodLoveNeighbor

“God is saying, I love my enemies, and Jesus forgave these people who were crucified the him. And Jesus loved his enemies, those people that were torturing him. And God commanded us very clearly in the New Testament and actually in the Old Testament too, but those pastors don't bring you those verses and don't bring you the verse that Jesus said, all the law of Moses and the prophets is summed up in these two commandment. Love god with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. Put yourself in your neighbor's position. apply this.”

75s

#AnswerMuslimQuestions

“the tragedy Muslims have sincere questions that no one answers. And that's why god called me to write the book, to answer their questions about him and about the Christian faith. Muslims never understood or understand the logic, beauty, power of our Christian faith. They never been taught. Let me give you example. Muslims usually ask, you believe that Jesus is God's son and God watched his son being murdered and did nothing to save him? What kind of a logic is that? If you saw a bunch of criminals killing your son, wouldn't you go to rescue your son? That's what a good loving heavenly father would have done if Jesus is his son. How do you answer that?”

54s

#MissionOpportunity

“let me start by saying, Muslims are growing rapidly all over the world. And I met some people last Wednesday that they resent Muslims growth. God wants you to think this is one of the greatest challenges and opportunity God is giving the church today. We have in Orange County alone about 500,000 Muslims. Hundreds of thousands comes every summer to visit, tourist, medical help, study, business, you name it. And they are ignored for the most part by Christians.”

44s

#AdaptToReach

“That's why apostle Paul said, to the Jew, I became as a Jew to win the Jews because god love the Jewish people, wanna save them. To the one without the law, I became like one without the law. To win those are without the law. To the one under the law, I became like one under the law. What separated Jews from Gentiles is the covenant and the law. Paul talked in a way, acted in a way, neither offended the Jews nor the Gentile. Why? Because I want to communicate the gospel without any offense.”

65s

#ManifestGodsLove

“Why God wants us to focus on manifesting his love to all people so we can cheer Jesus effectively? You know why? Because not only because that will make our life very meaningful, not only that will get us the most reward in heaven, but I thought about it, and god told me, do you know why, Sammy, I wanna use your life in the most way possible to manifest my love to all people? I told him, please tell me tell me more, God. And God told me, because I want you, before you leave this earth, to have a smile in your face that you satisfied my heart. And you did the greatest commandment, love god with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. You did it.”

66s

#ChristianityNotWar

“So what does that mean? I am not talking now about the government. The government can do whatever they wanna do. We have no control over that. But what made this a problem is most of the Christian leaders evangelical. The best supported the wars every time against Muslims. Even even the even the ones that don't have anything to do with politics. Like one of my great teacher is Charlie Stanley. He teaches the bible very well. Charlie Stanley supported the war on Iraq. Why you do that? Now when the Christian leader supported the war against Muslims, Muslims did not see God's love and did not hear the message of the gospel communicated to pure sense in a pure way.”

59s

#GodSeesIshmael

“Okay. So Hagar named God, the God who sees that proves that Ishmael's birth was not just merely a mistake, Abraham did. Otherwise, God would not save their life through a miracle and will not say these gentle words. It show it proves that God has a special wonderful plans from the birth of Ishmael. God gave circumcision as a sign of the covenant to to Ishmael, to Abraham. Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised same day. Genesis 21 told us god was with Ishmael as he grew up. Thank you.”

72s

#ReflectGodsJustice

“It was God's plan from the beginning to choose Abraham and of course his descendants as a divine as a channel of the his divine grace to bless all people spiritually and to save them. So that assumes that Abraham and his descendants will reflect God's character, which is justice and righteousness. And you can read that in Genesis 18. You don't have to do it now. Later. Genesis 18 verse 19 because I'm gonna read it to you. What what is that? See, God's covenant with Abraham and his family requires Abraham and his family to manifest God's justice and righteousness to all people.”

56s

#ReachMuslimsNow

“Okay. Now Muslims are the largest unreached people group in the world. The largest. What does that mean? It mean, I already told you, large numbers of them never received answers to their questions, and large numbers of them live in places that are dark spiritually. They don't have any churches that speak their language. Messiologists Messiologists are those scholars that specializes in mission and the cross cultural evangelism. I read what they say all the time. So messiologists confirm.”

87s

#LeaveEgyptByFaith

“Okay. What what is my story? I told you part of my story. Let me tell you another part. My story is very important. Now in Hebrew 11, god told me Moses by faith left Egypt, and he preferred to suffer affliction with the people of god than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. And he considered suffering as much better than owning the treasures of Egypt. Why? Because he was looking at his great reward. Who is gonna reward you and me? God told me, are you gonna take your reward from your legal firm, from your father's property, from your family, or from me. I told the god, no. From you. God said, leave Egypt by faith. I left Egypt, came to America, and start pumping gas. I saw a sign, Jesus lives in one of the cars, and that guided me to pastor Chuck Smith 1982. Hallelujah.”

49s

#WalkByFaithNotFame

“I was crying. Of course, I was crying. I was crying, And my older brother, you told me you are over spiritualizing the bible. Moses was two thousand years ago. Now you need a career idiot. Come back to Egypt. My older brother was the chief judge of the supreme court in Egypt. Received award from the president, Sisi. He told me, come back. We'll put you in a good legal field. God said, no. Pump a gaze. Work as a waiter. Wait for me. Walk with me. The desert experience by faith. I told God, but I the my family called me idiot. And then God said, you idiot, you're walking with me by faith.”

92s

#ThirstyForTruth

“It is like God is not blaming them. We will say anybody who doesn't believe in Jesus going to hell. Well, how about if somebody doesn't understand anything about Jesus? That's why god said, how beautiful, beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring the good news. You see, I I have to tell you this. Most of the Muslim people are thirsty people drinking from salty water. Thirsty. Why thirsty? They seek God. They wanna know God. They wanna be forgiven. They wanna know that they are going to heaven, but they don't know how. Why? Because their teachers are giving them 90% wrong information, 10% good information. They don't have teachers like Bob Coupone, Jack Abel, and Chuck Smith, all these wonderful teachers, they don't have them. have them and we still sin. Right? don't have anything. They don't have the word of God. They don't have the holy spirit. They don't have the church. They don't have a good teachers. They are the living in darkness. They are dead spiritually.”

57s

#ObedienceAndPromise

“This is very important to God that we or whoever he chooses manifest God's righteousness and justice. Why? So so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him. So make no mistake about it. God's fulfillment of his promises to Abraham deeply intertwined with Abraham obeying God and teaching his children and descendants the way of the Lord. Why? Because this lifestyle, which is marked by holiness and righteousness and justice reflect God's character. So it's very important for God that we reflect his character.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Calvary Chapel East Anaheim This sermon · AI assistant

How to present Jesus to Muslims using Abraham

What is God's plan for Ishmael's descendants

How should Christians separate politics from evangelism

Reaching Muslims with God's Love and the Gospel

Devotional

Day 1: Abraham’s Knife and God’s Unsparing Love

Day 2: Flocks of Qedar Gathered at God’s Altar

Day 3: A Book That Opens Eyes to the Gospel

Day 4: Cornelius’ Thirst in a Muslim’s Heart

Day 5: Loving Enemies in the Shadow of War

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Reaching Muslims with God's Love and the Gospel

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