Jeanie and I are currently in Jerusalem in the midst of a ten day trip to the Middle East. Our days here in the Holy City have been wonderful. This morning we visited the Garden Tomb with our long-time friends and mentors, Ken and Jan Wendling along with a few other friends.
The Wendling’s are the founders of Asian Access, the mission with whom we have served since 1980. They are people of exceptional faith and great missionary character.
Ken had a life-changing experience at the Garden Tomb in 1962 when he was a young man making a year long trip around the world. He was exploring mission possibilities in many countries as a 22 year old.
However, by the time he arrived in Jerusalem he had become quite discouraged by much of what he had seen in the previous six months and was beginning to think that mission work was a lost cause. Ken was ready to abandon the rest of his trip, go back to California and forget about seminary and missions.
However, during his five or six days in Jerusalem, he met a Christian family who took an interest in him. The father, a retired Palestinian businessman, learned about Ken's dream and then heard Ken speak of his discouragement and his plans to cut short his trip.
He asked Ken to come to their home the next morning at 5 am. Initially not interested, Ken finally agreed to the meeting. After arriving, this man took Ken out the back door of their home and into the beauty and serenity of the Garden Tomb. Ken hadn't realized that this man was the Guardian of the Tomb.
The man took Ken to the garden, talked to him briefly and then told him he would give him a reason why he should continue his journey and pursue his missionary calling - a reason that would overcome any discouragement he would ever face in his life.
Then the man took Ken inside of the tomb and showed him the sign on the door, "He is not here, He is risen." Then the old man put his arm around Ken's shoulder and started to sing,
"Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior, Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!”
Ken experienced the hope and power of the resurrection that morning that would profoundly change the direction of his life. He completed the year-long trip that took him to 65 countries – ending the trip in Japan. After completing studies at Fuller Seminary, he began ministry back in Japan.
In the years since, Ken has been used of God as a visionary leader to establish three major organizations that have sent over 10,000 servants of Christ as missionaries across Asia.
This morning as we visited the tomb, Ken shared the story of that life-changing experience from 1962 with us once again. I’ve heard the story many times, but never more powerfully than today with Ken inside the empty tomb.
After we left the tomb, we went to a quiet spot in the garden where we read Scripture (John 24, I Corinthians 15, and Revelations 21), then shared in the Lord’s Supper and a time of singing great hymns of the Christian faith.
The experience is one I will never forget.
We are here in Jerusalem during Passover Week. This weekend we will celebrate Orthodox Easter in Egypt. It is remarkable to see the unfolding of God’s redemptive plans in history. As we reflected on the centrality of Christ’s death and resurrection here in Jerusalem, and as we remembered the way in which witnesses to the truth and power of the Gospel have been faithful from the time of the apostles until the present day, we realize afresh the great privilege and sacred responsibility that we have to be part of God’s ongoing work in the world as we seek to be faithful to that which has been entrusted to our care.
“He is not here. He is risen.”
“Thanks be unto God who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ.”
