Islam/Christ: Understanding Our Faith During Conflict With Iraq

I would like for you to follow me into the Book of Luke Chapter 9 verses 18 - 23.

"Jesus said that if any Man will come after me, let him deny himself. And take up the cross daily"

So here we are with Jesus teaching for the disciples of his day and the disciples of this day.

And Jesus is warning us…

He is warning us because he knows that the signs and wonders he has performed have truly amazed the disciples…

They have truly amazed the multitudes…

These events have revolutionized lives for those who have witnessed these things first hand.

They have heard the teaching …

They have seen the Wisdom…

They have witnessed perfection in Human form…

They have seen him heal the sick…

And they have seen the Miracles…

But as it was, Jesus tells us that: There will be other that will come after him.

That there will be those that will claim to offer the same or greater power then he did.

They will claim to offer greater miracles…

He implies that a MAN might try to exalt themselves above Him (the true and living God) to others.

He says, "If any man come after me let them deny themselves and take up the cross."

This is relevant teaching today as we have many religious leaders and doctrines are presenting Jesus differently then what the Bible says he is.

This month we are touching on cults and other erroneous doctrines.

We need to be armed with the truth about the God we serve…

It is important in these turbulent times to do this…

We need to be prepared to discuss the truth…

We need to be prepared so that when these situations present themselves to you or to someone you know, we will know when a false message is looming and we can effectively nagavigate through it.

So today want to touch on and deal with Islam and the truth behind the legacy of Muhammad.

So, as a central theme today, this sermon is entitled:

Can you handle the truth?

Before we go into this we need to get a little background on Muhammad and the origin of Islam.

Now when I speak of Muhammad, realize that we are not talking about the Muhammad of the Nation of Islam.

No, We are talking about what (next to the creator himself) Islam describes as the originator and sculpture of Islamic Theology.

The man known as Mohammad was born in 570 AD.

So he was on the scene about 550 years after Jesus walked the earth.

He lived a pretty typical life through his childhood and young adult life.

According to Norman Giesler, a world-renowned theologian and expert on Islam, as a youth he was known as sincere and honest. He was described by fellow Muslims as Al Amin, a name that literally means "the faithful one."

Like typical young adults he got married; and as he progressing in years he progressed in his devotion and prayer to God.

Around AD 610, at forty (40) years of age and after a two-year retreat of prayer and devotion it is said that he received his prohectic calling from God.

According to Islamic tradition, one night the angel Gabriel took Mohammad from Mecca to Jerusalem.

And it was here he was brought through what the Quran describes as the "Seven Heavens".

It is in the seven heavens were where Mohammad says that visited with all the previous prophets sent by God.

Now, according to Giesler, and Islamic tradition, Abraham was found in the Seventh Heaven, Moses was found in the Sixth Heaven, Other great prophets were found in the 5th, 4th and 3rd Heavens…

And Jesus was found in the 2nd Heaven….

After traveling through these heavens

Finally, Muhammad was brought to the place were he received a specific procedure for the Islamic worship and daily prayer.

It is at this time that he proclaimed himself a prophet of God and Islam was born in the city of Mecca.

So Muhammad is now a Prophet of God…

Moreover, Muhammed defines himself as the "last prophet" after Jesus. And that HE was brought to the world to bring all mankind to Islam.

Moreover, He considered himself the "Seal of the Prophets"that came before him.

Muslims insist that he was beyond "major sin" and a perfect moral example for mankind. And for that reason the Angel Gabriel spoke the words of the Quran to Muhammad…

The prophet Muhammad brought those words to the world to bring all mankind to Islam.

So we have a man who has told a people that HE is a prophet from God and you are to follow his words.

Come with me to Deuteronomy 18:15…

Deut. (18:15) The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;