Another grain of wheat falls and dies

This afternoon I translated into Spanish Pastor Mehdi Dibaj’s beautiful defense which he presented in an Iranian court. His sentence was death. (**See Ken Horn’s note below.) He served 9 long years in prison for apostasy and for preaching Christ. In his defense he does not plead for his life. He presents Christ Jesus, the loving Savior, to all present. In a separate statement he says, "I have always envied those Christians who were martyred for Christ Jesus our Lord. What a privilege to live for our Lord and to die for Him as well. I am filled to overflowing with joy; I am not only satisfied to be in prison. . .but am ready to give my life for the sake of Jesus Christ." Five months after his release he paid the supreme sacrifice.

IBM Directors Stephen and Sonia Wallace

My text for the students at IBM tonight was the verse that has most impacted my personal life, John 12:24. “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it will be forever fruitless, but if it dies it will bring forth MUCH fruit.” I already have this verse inscribed on my tombstone which I share with Frances. Her favorite passage Prov. 3:5-6 is beside her name.

I believe there was a deep work of God taking place in many of these 50 young students of God’s Word tonight. They knelt and some lay face down around the altar burying the seed and letting it die. As at other times, there were some significant puddles of tears left behind. The abandoned shoes made me think of Cinderella. (Photo) Physical death never comes easy and this dying to one’s self can also be painful. Later there was a great time of singing and rejoicing. Little joyful “prayer-huddles” formed here and there around the room. Praise God, this kind of death is never the end! It is rather the beginning of a new kind of life. The seed lies dormant and cold beneath the soil, then a tiny root seeks water and sustenance and a weak little sprout pushes its way through stubborn soil toward sunlight. Resurrection joy can never be experienced without first suffering the pain of death. What a celebration of resurrection joy among the students! (Photo) God’s promises will not fail them. Jesus says there will be MUCH fruit!

Ralph

**Special thanks to Ken Horn, editor of the Pentecostal Evangel, who responded to my urgent request today, sending me the information below along with pastor Dibaj’s defense.

Rev. Mehdi Dibaj who was born into a Muslim family became a Christian 45 Years ago. On December 21, 1993 an Islamic court in the city of Sari condemned him to die. The conviction was based on the charge of apostasy, i.e. that Rev. Dibaj had abandoned Islam and embraced Christianity. Once the news of Rev. Dibaj's death sentence reached the rest of the world, the reaction was one of disbelief followed by prayer and action. One of the persons who worked very hard to overturn Rev. Dibaj's sentence was Bishop Haik Hovsepian-Mehr. Bishop Haik, an Armenian pastor, shared the news of Rev. Dibaj's death sentence as well as other violations of religious freedom of Christians in Iran with the world. Due to the world's reaction, Rev. Dibaj was released on January 16, 1994. Five months after the release from prison, Rev. Mehdi Dibadj was abducted mysteriously and suffered martyrdom in June, 1994.