Since the IPL requested Cricket South Africa to help them out by staging the Twenty/20 format, due to the terrorist problems India experienced in the Mumbai attacks earlier this year, it would appear that this format of the game would appeal to the large Asian community in South Africa, and more specifically in Durban where the Indian community dominates the surrounding areas. Some people have even referred to this community as “the little India”. This was the mission before us - to hand out tracts, witness one-to-one, read Scripture and open-air preach the Law and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to what turned out to be crowds of approximately 98% Asian persuasion.
From the dress, religious symbols and appearances it was evident that those attending were predominantly of the Muslim and Hindu religions and other Asian cults, as well as some professing Christians and those who don’t believe.
We started out by handing out the following tract, designed specifically for this particular event with a Q & A on cricket trivia from the IPL 2007/2008 season followed with the Law and the Gospel presentation on the reverse side:INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 20091. What was the highest total scored?
SOUTH AFRICA
QUIZ ~ Q & A
(Test your knowledge and please do not cheat by looking at the answers first)
2. What were the largest victory margins by runs? By wickets?
3. Which Kings XI Punjab batsman scored the most runs in 2007/08?
4. Who scored the most sixes in an innings?
5. What were the best bowling figures in an innings?
6. What were the names of the top two teams in the standings?
7. What holidays do South Africans commemorate on 27th April and 1st May?
~ Please read the reverse side for more knowledge ~Answers*: 1) 240/5 by Chennai vs. Punjab. 2) 140 runs by Kolkata vs. Bangalore and 10 wickets by Deccan vs. Mumbai. 3) SE Marsh – 616 runs. 4) BB McCullum (Kolkata) 13 vs. Bangalore. 5) Sohail Tanvir 6/14 (Rajasthan) vs. Chennai. 6) Rajasthan 22 points and Punjab 20 points. 7) Freedom Day and Worker’s Day.
* Answers (except 7) were verified on IPL internet sites and are taken as being correct as at 29th April 2009.
Gary Crous +27 72 221 1233
Now that you have answered the questions on the reverse side of this handout ~ how did you score? Some right? Most right? All right? We tend to know a lot about our sport and worldly matters, but spend little to no time thinking about the million dollar question which will make every other question you have ever answered appear to be insignificant. Do you know what will happen to you the day you will die and pass into eternity? People tend to think about everything else including attending a Twenty/20 cricket match than thinking about their eternal destiny. Reality is 150 000 people die every 24 hours and you are guaranteed one thing in this life ~ someday you will also die. If you should die today, will you be good enough for Almighty God to let you into Heaven? Most people profess to be good, but by what standard are they basing their goodness on? What about you? To truly see if you are a good person you must use a more perfect standard to judge yourself by looking into the perfect moral Law of Almighty God. This Law is the Ten Commandments. Here goes … How many lies have you told in your life? Half-truths, fibs, white lies? A lie is a lie and by definition God sees you as a liar. Stolen something? The size or value of the object matters not, and time does not excuse the crime. God sees you as a thief. Jesus said in old times it was said do not commit adultery, but I tell you whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:28). Ever looked with lust? Had sexual thoughts in your mind? Indulged in fornication (had sex outside the bounds of marriage)? Homosexuality? Porn? If this is you, God will judge you as an adulterer. Ever committed murder? God’s Word says hating someone is murder (1 John 3:15). Abortion is also the murder of unborn children. Ever used God or His Son Jesus’ name to show surprise or disgust? Like, “Oh my G-D!!” This is blasphemy and it is a serious offense in the sight of God. God also says you shall have no other gods (idols) before Him. Are you guilty of idolatry? If you have answered “yes” to any of these violations then God sees you as a liar, a thief, an adulterer, a murderer, a blasphemer and an idolater. If God finds you guilty and judges you for every crime you have committed against Him, as He sees your every thought, intention of the heart, every word uttered and every deed done, even those in secret, and He gives you the justice you rightfully deserve on the Day of Judgment (Acts 17:31) as a lawbreaker, then will you go to Heaven or Hell? Any person in their right mind will know that breaking the Law demands a payment and God has assigned a place called Hell as His prison for sinners who have transgressed His Holy Law. That is the bad news. The Good News is that God is so kind and merciful that He expressed His grace and love to sinners by choosing to reveal Himself in the person of His Son Jesus Christ. Fully God and fully Man and without sin, Jesus gave us the divine standard by which we are to live. He lay down His life for sinners and went to the cross to be punished by God’s righteous wrath. You broke God’s Law and Jesus took your punishment. Your life on earth is not a game to be played by your rules. God’s precious Son Jesus took your filthy sin upon Himself and made unmerited payment with His Holy blood. He resurrected to life defeating death and sin. God saves by offering free Grace so no man can boast. You are not good. God is so Good to want to save evil and wicked sinners from eternal damnation. Repent before God’s throne and put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ by faith alone while you still have time.
www.NeedGod.comFrom using question 7 on the tract, our main springboard would be: What does freedom mean to you? As you will see from the following clip, I read Galatians 5:1-26 to show the True meaning of liberty (freedom) in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Please forgive the shaky filming of the clip as the cameraman is still in training :) - what is more important is that the clip is to encourage our brothers and sisters to step out in faith and believe God will work the miracles of having you out there seeking and saving that which is lost – as Jesus did (Luke 19:10)].
www.luke923evangelism.wordpress.com
www.chroniclesofafisherofmen.blogspot.com
The game had commenced and we decided to leave and to head on home. This is a view of Warriors Gate opposite the stadium as the sun was going down. God painted a wonderful sunset for us…
And inside the stadium, we knew idolatry was taking place. We pray that the idolaters who came to their “shrine” will repent and worship the only True God Jesus Christ and stop their evil and wicked worship of their Bollywood stars and the cricket players (their idols). There is a difference to supporting and worshipping. We hope and pray God will show His Goodness and Mercy and cause the false worshippers (idolaters) to repent of their evil and wicked ways.
