The first time I met Mr de Silva he had very little time to chat, but he was very interested in my message so he asked me to come back at a later date. Three weeks later I called back and he invited me inside. He told me that here in Australia he was now a tennis coach, but in his native Sri Lanka he worked as a high-ranking Government official. At one time in that position, he said he got caught up in “some political wranglings,” and got shot two or three times in the stomach.
This took place in the 1970’s. Naturally enough, as a result of such serious injuries, he thought it might be a good idea to leave politics behind – along with his country – and migrate to Australia. He said he’d been living in his adopted country, “for many years” but his employment prospects in all that time had been bleak, even though his qualifications were high. He enjoyed the game of tennis so he decided to make his living from it by coaching.
Mr de Silva told me he was a Buddhist, and he wanted to know how I could prove to him the Virgin birth of Jesus Christ. I told him I couldn’t. He agreed when I suggested there are some things in life “non-qualified” people can’t prove, but this lack of proof does not negate the truth of their reality.
I used the example of the chairs we were sitting in and how a physicist would tell us they were made up of atoms, molecules, protons etc, travelling at 186,000 miles per second, but how many of us non-physicists could prove that or even understand it? And in any case – does this lack of understanding stop us from enjoying their function, which is to sit in, relax in, sleep in or eat in? He nodded in thought.
Then he wanted me to explain my concept of sin and Adam & Eve, in the Bible. I told him he could explain sin for himself just as well as I could by thinking about those three bullets that were once in his stomach and the person who put them there.
I explained Adam & Eve just as the first biblical book Genesis does – the first man and woman who once had a beautiful relationship with God – but by yielding to the serpent’s temptation through listening to his lies, they then doubted God’s word, disbelieved God’s word, disobeyed God’s word – and if it not be for Jesus born of the Virgin, we would all be “in the same boat,” lost without hope in this world and for all eternity.
Our conversation to this point had been going well over an hour. Mr de Silva admitted sin in himself. He agreed when I suggested to him that human nature finds it easier to think, say and do wrong, before right. But as I spoke about Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, Who two thousand years ago shed His blood on a Roman cross in a once-and-for-all-sacrifice for our sin, giving us the opportunity to be now reconciled to God, a demonic manifestation in his eyes was quite something to behold. It was a spirit of slumber and it put him almost to sleep.
Earlier, he said to me that he had no trouble believing in “a real live devil,” so I now asked him if he believed in demonic evil spirits. He replied that he most definitely did. I told him that the Bible tells us the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Person who can put these beings out of action in our lives. With that, I showed him Jesus’ promise in New Testament Mark 16:17 “……….in My name they will cast out demons……….” Immediately his eyes became normal. I knew however, that the spirit was not “cast out,” just “out of sight.”
There was nothing now for me to do or say accept ask Mr de Silva if he wanted to acknowledge his sin before God and receive Jesus Christ as His Lord and Saviour. So that’s what I did. His response was a definite “no” to the invitation. Very surely he looked me in the eye and said, “I am a Buddhist, and I’ll do it (come to God) my way.”
I left it at that, respecting his decision. We had another cup of tea, we thanked one another for our time together, shook hands and parted.
The power and reality of Jesus Christ was demonstrated in every part of that meeting. For a start, I can’t get into a Buddhist’s home (or any other) and share the Gospel of Christ without Christ being there preparing the way and giving me the words to speak. Next, the very mention of the name of Jesus and the blood of Jesus invokes a reaction in all His hearers.
Very few people have a problem talking about God, but mention the name of Jesus and His blood, and there will always be a reaction. Either you will be made to feel comfortable (at peace, because you know your sins have been forgiven in His name and washed away by His blood) or very uncomfortable (under conviction for your sin) – there is no middle ground. Why not? Because Jesus Christ is who He says He is, both God and Man, Who came to convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment.
The Bible tells us that for some people that’s good news, but for most it’s bad news. That’s the way it was for Jesus when He ministered on the earth and that’s the way it’s been all through church history. “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Mark 16:20.