If you haven’t heard of the news there was a young man name John Allen Chau who tried to reach an uncontacted people group in the Indian Ocean and he was killed in trying to make contact. You can read the news here.
Here I want to make some quick Christian thoughts on this news for the Christians.
Before that I thought this video was quite informative of the people that John was trying to reach:
I have seen much activities on social media mocking his death usually by nonbelievers and sadly at times even by believers.
First I think it is tragic whenever anyone dies; its no laughing matter. Even if you disagree with someone you shouldn’t wish death upon them nor celebrate their death even if you think it is folly.
Secondly for Christians we must remember we have to obey Jesus above anything else. Jesus is clear about the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you [b]always, even to the end of the age.”” All the nations and people include the Sentinelese. If we are saved by Jesus we would obey Him out of love; and loving Him mean participating in the Great Commission. Also if people’s eternity with heaven and hell is on the line and we know the Gospel, how would we not reach our community and the nations?
Thirdly I think we got to evangelize wisely yet it is easy to quarterback in hindsight. Sometimes I’ve seen how some who have never done anything for Jesus in terms of evangelism can fancy themselves as talking heads critics of how to do evangelism; but they don’t go out themselves to share the Gospel at all. For such critic I think it is important to remember that it is better to present the Gospel with room for personal improvement than to not present the Gospel at all and thereby be certain you are completely disobedient to the Great Commission. Also if someone think they can share the Gospel better in a missional setting with a new tribe they ought to pursue their wonderful plan rather than just complain about the attempt of others.
Fourthly I don’t know fully John Chau’s theology. Yet I respect his zeal to try to reach the Sentinelese who are an isolated people.
Fifthly I know some Christians can still look at this as foolishness. Yet consider 1 Corinthians 1:18 which states “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Perhaps historical perspective might be in order. Though it is foolish in the world’s eyes to be a martyr and evangelist yet consider how the church has grown worldwide because the Apostles did the same thing and many generations of evangelists afterwards. While people can uplift martyr missionaries of the past such as Jim Elliot people often have a harder time of seeing a contemporary example of someone radical for Jesus. We dismiss them for many reasons. Yet throughout history God have often used such men and women; it’s often in hindsight we make monuments of them and forget that they were once real people with flesh and bones and flaws and courage that God used and blessed.
Pray for this young man’s family. Pray for the people in this island that they would come to know Jesus.
Good thoughts regarding this story and tragedy!
The death of martyrs is not in vain…
It is hard to understand that there are still people like this in todays world. What would happen or maybe already has with the storms and earthquakes in the area?
I read that during the big earthquake and Tsunami a few years back that impacted a large part of Asia the Indian governnment was concern with what happened to this people…it turned out they survived by going up hill which they knew to do for some reason. At the same time they took the opportunity to try to shoot the planes down that they saw. Which result is captured in picture which is seen in our post picture. Crazy huh?
Hi brother these people you talked about in your post are unregenerate sinners and they need Jesus which is what he was going to do share the Gospel we need to pray for these people.
Good point. I have been praying for these people, for their salvation and I trust you prayed as well?
Hi brother remember th article about the witches I posted well guess what.
What happened?
Well a Satanist commented they said Blessed Be their words not mine.
Wow you have a link to the quote? I have company over with my family but will see it later; what did you say to that??
That was the quote it was Blessed Be. I didn’t say anything.
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thank you for reblogging this
Yankee Whiskey Bravo
The martyrs of today, may pave the way for The Gospel of tomorrow.
That is true; very true. It lead me to pray his death was not in vain, that the Lord would use it to stir future missions to these people. How was your thanksgiving?
It was good! We actually had it the Saturday before so that all my children and grandchildren could come together at my parent’s house. Thursday was a bit more quiet since I am trying to deal with some bug draining what little strength I have. Thanks for asking!
I imagine you were resting from your travels. Did you manage to get a little celebrating in? 🙂
All points agreed Jim—I thought about you when I heard this story.
Can’t say I agreed with heading to the island, illegally.
But as you say, I don’t, and none of us know the real heart of this young man… his pure motives, his true reasons…but the most important thing here is that a tragedy has taken place and for that, we all must mourn as there is a family now grieving a loss of life.
Respect for the family and loved ones who now must bury a son, a brother, a friend…that is if the body is ever returned.
That is never a matter to take lightly or to ridicule.
Shame on those who are so callous.
I have prayed for this mans family and will continue to pray for these people. Thank you, brother, for these important points!
Well stated…Amen! I pray your Thanksgiving Day was well-blessed!
Reblogged this on BibleProphecyWatch.
Tango Yankee!
You’re welcome.
I was reading this story on FB… I couldn’t read the comments, the first few were bad enough.😥I am praying that this young man’s death was not in vain. That God will open a door for the good news of His Son to spread like fire through the island. God works all things for His Glory. ❤️
I am encouraged to hear of your prayers. I myself have been praying as well and also it has made me look at Matthew 28:19-20 in new light. In one way it remind me of how important the Great Commission is. In a second way Matthew 28:19-20 is a promise that God’s will will be accomplished through God’s use of our faithfulness to reach the lost of all nations and places. When it’s hard to do ministry this is our comfort is it not and I imagine you have the same experience since you evangelize weekly!
Agree with you totally.
Have Blessed Lord’s Day
Thanks for this posting. I had seen a brief bit of coverage on the network news so I appreciate more information. Yes, I have prayed for John Chau’s family and that the Sentinelese might hear the Gospel some day.
Glad to hear that you and many others who commented have prayed for the family and the Sentinelese. Thinking of it made me glad for the people who came before in previous generations who risked their lives and given their lives for the sake of spreading the Gospel to other nations so that today we Gentiles in the US can know the Gospel. Grateful for the Gospel and Gospel preachers Amen?
Yes, Amen!
I believe the Holy Spirit should lead anyone, as He lead with Paul. I hope that this young man was being lead thusly.
Prayerfully he planted a seed-not just to this tribe- but to some one (or 500) living civilized! 🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️
I imagine that, at the time, all the martyrs of Hebrews 11 were viewed as foolish.
Good point. I think people during their times would have thought of them as foolish if not verse; it certainly puts it in perspective what those people in Hebrews 11 went through and also in perspective of how to interpret modern martyrs doesn’t it? Thanks for sharing that!
[…] Indian Ocean. I do not know all the details, first learning of the event in a fellow blogger’s post accompanied by a video of the island. In the video is the scene of the inhabitants on the beach of […]
[…] first post was titled “John Allen Chau and North Sentinel Island.” My second post was titled “Double Standard of the “Christian” Left Concerning […]
Preach it, brother! Amen!!
I especially agree with your thoughts here:
“First I think it is tragic whenever anyone dies; its no laughing matter. Even if you disagree with someone you shouldn’t wish death upon them nor celebrate their death even if you think it is folly.”
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Jimmy.
I agree. It makes me cringe when I hesr christians so quickly judge him as though the know the mind of God. It reminds me of Job’s friends whom ironically are the foolish ones to so proudly criticize Job without knowing everything.
Found your blog after searching for Nathan Phillips and him being a Marine veteran on google then I found you have also wrote about this current event as well. Your posts are surprisingly more informative than most articles from news outlet. This is what the founding fathers meant by freedom of speech and freedom of press, not just corporate conglomerate selling what the elites want us to hear and not hear.
What a saint