Sharing the Savior’s Story

Power of Gospel and Grace

During the Korean War, Christian preachers were singled out by the Communists. One day a group of 40 Communists kidnapped a pastor, his wife, and their two children. Outside the village they tried to force the minister to deny Jesus. He refused. They threatened to bury him, his wife, and children alive. The preacher refused. The family’s captors, wishing to show they were serious, dug a hole in front of them. He refused. They put his family in the hole and said, “Because of your stubbornness your innocent children are going to die in right in front of your own eyes. Deny Christ and we shall leave you.” The pastor refused. They started to fill the hole. The children were about to be covered. The preacher began to shake. The cries of his children tore at his heart.

What would you have done? A few words. That’s all it would take, and everyone would be free. The answer came from the hole, from the pastor’s wife. Seeing his pain she called out, “In a little while we shall all be with our Lord forever. Be bold and do not give up.” Eventually, all of them were buried alive, including the preacher. The tragedy shocked everyone. Why did this have to happen?”

Years passed. Christianity experienced a revival. One day during a Christian worship service, a man stood and confessed to the congregation that he was one of the 40 who had kidnapped and buried the preacher with his family. But the man went on. He said that he was moved that the Gospel was so great that even the death of their children would not make a father and mother forsake it. The man shared he had wanted to know about Jesus. He had searched and in the process, had become a Christian and received God's grace. Finally, he added, every one of the 40 men who had been with him had, at some time, been called to Christ. This is the power of the Gospel of grace. Bought with His Son’s blood, it is everything.

Excerpt from The Lutheran Hour broadcast of: September 7, 2003