Pastor Richard Kannwischer of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, tells the story of a family in India:
There is a true story of a small village in India. And in this village there was this family that came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ as Savior Lord. This agitated the village so much and everybody became so upset that an angry mob gathered and shoved them into the public square.
The village chief confronted them and he said to the man, “If you and your family will not recant your faith, you all will surly die!”
The man didn’t know what to say or what to do. The only thing that came to mind for him were the words of a song that he himself had composed when he had first surrendered his life to God. And so he began to sing,
“I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back.”
With that, “horrifically” His children were killed. He was given another chance, this time with his wife’s life on the line, and yet he continued to sing,
“though none go with me still i will follow no turning back. No turning back.”
After her tragic death he was given one final opportunity, this time to save himself. Yet he continued to sing,
“The cross before me the world behind me, the cross before me the world behind me, the cross before me the world behind me No turning back. No turning back.”
Even know that man and his family died that day, something remarkable happened! A seed was planted in the heart of that village chef. A seed that began to grow over time and eventually he called the community together in that very same neighborhood, and that very same square, and he renounce his former faith and declared his allegiance to Jesus Christ. And a celebration broke out in that moment and the Gospel began to flourish and to grow in that community not just in that village but a cross that whole reign because they had seen real faith, and they knew the true character of God. Because of a family that believed and sacrifice even under the penalty of death.
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