We searched the Internet for an Evangelical church near our hotel. It was only a 10-minute walk to Soulcraft church. A friendly pastor greeted us, and then handed us each a translation device to wear on our ear. A man will translate what the rapid-talking pastor is saying in Bulgarian. It must be very difficult for him to hear and understand and then speak another language with new information still being said.
The pastor had just returned from a Billy Graham Evangelism gathering in Berlin and was inspired to do even more to spread the gospel message.
Scripture: The Prodigal Son
Luke 15:11-32
And He said, “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them.
And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.
But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” ’ So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
“Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ”
This parable speaks to:
- Who is God
- Who are you
The younger son basically says to his father, “I want you to die. I can’t wait. You are healthy. I am finished with my family. I don’t want to just work and survive.”
Soon there is trouble for the younger son. He had spent it all, and now there is a famine. He can’t control the context. People desert him. He hit rock bottom. Feeding pigs is further than the bottom. He was even fighting with pigs for survival. He was a victim.
He started to turn and repent. What have I done? Hopeless. Like us, have we gone too far? Our Father always wants us back. He is compassionate.
He began to remember his home and father. I am not coming as a son but as a servant. I beg you. You provide for your servants. Let me be one of them.
The father had the right to be upset but His love for his son overcame that. His father did not allow him to finish his speech.
When we come to repentance to our heavenly Father and admit our mistakes, God won’t even allow us to finish.
Without God, we are dead. The son, like us, was dead but now came back to life.
We repent when we are far away. We want to come closer to God, our Father. Mercy is the greatest sign in the Bible. Salvation can lead to being able to do all things.
That is the gospel:
- From dead to life
- From lost to found
The older son was crazy with anger. It isn’t fair. Celebrate??? He won’t come in the house. He doesn’t want to see his brother. He doesn’t want to see his father. The father had to come out.
By saying, “Your son” and not my brother, he has disowned the brotherly relationship.
We can be far away from the Father even if we are serving the Father. Even if he has served the Father, he needs to repent to have fellowship with the Father.
Don’t let anger keep you from the celebration. People are angry and don’t want to come to church. “My prayers aren’t answered.”
Make peace with the Lord. We are all egocentric. The young son missed his life. Eternity is waiting for you. Your earthly life is a small moment in your eternity.
After the service, we spoke with our translator. His name is Goce, and he is a dentist. He says that he causes pain. Since dental care is free, it isn’t valued. They don’t come for regular cleanings because it is free. They come only when they are in pain.
He said this is a Balkan thought. If it is free, it must not have much value. And if it is free, I will not care for it. I think that is human nature and not just in the Balkans.
When he shares his faith, people think that he is crazy and has a secret agenda. A holdover from communism, perhaps?
Goce said that the biggest road block for evangelism is that it is a free gift. Free gifts, even if priceless, are not respected or valued. Salvation cannot be paid for, but it’s priceless.
Goce shared his favorite Bible verses which have the same meaning:
Ezekiel 47:12
By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.
Revelation 22:1-2
Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
As the church cleared out, we had a chance to talk with the pastor about his ministry. He said that they are providing answers to the curious.
A Turkish family who came to the church. In Turkey, they are not allowed to ask questions so it is a type of religious freedom for them. He wondered about the Trinity: God, Son and Holy Spirit. Comparing the Trinity to ice, water and vapor is a good analogy since they are all forms of H2O. He also wanted to know about The Son of God. He had questions about the bad things that Muhammed had done.
The church is also reaching out to the Roma people. There are 25,000 Roma (gypsies) living in Skopje.
They also have a special needs service on Friday nights. I don’t know of any church that is doing that.
We are all children of God whether we are a Turk, Roma, special needs, the older son, or the younger son. We all want to be with the Father.
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