So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem. (Ps. 102:21)
Expanded Passage: Psalm 102:18-28
One of the more remarkable stories of coming to faith in Christ is that of Iranian saint, Dr. Sa’eed. Raised in a strict Muslim home, and himself a cleric, Sa’eed was nonetheless attracted to the gospel by the words and life of an Assyrian pastor. Sa’eed became a medical doctor and with declining financial support from the West, he engaged in witness to Jesus by word and deed. Nearly twenty years after Sa’eed died, a visitor to his home area asked an elderly man if he had known Dr. Sa’eed. His astounding reply was, “Dr. Sa’eed was Christ himself!”
In his sermon “The General Spread of the Gospel,” John Wesley described how many who resist the gospel do so in part because of their observations of the lives of those who profess to believe in Jesus. Wesley went on to describe holiness as a key element in world evangelization. He asserted that if Christians would begin to live sanctified lives, demonstrating God’s holiness, the nations would be drawn to Jesus through the actions as well as words of God’s people. Holiness, after all, isn’t just about us. It is intimately connected with world evangelization. Perhaps all of us can learn from Wesley’s words and Dr. Sa’eed’s example. Do we live a life holy enough that those who know us can see Christ at work?
Assess the impact of your life’s witness on those around you.
Matt Friedman was a professor of global ministry at Kingswood University (NB)and previously served in southern Asia for eighteen years.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
