What Would You Risk for Jesus?

About The Podcast

Dr. Sam Thomas has inherited a storied—and challenging—legacy from his father, M.A. Thomas. Like his father, Sam has risked his life and freedom to preach the Gospel in India. Through his Hope Givers ministry, Sam is determined to introduce one million impoverished children to Christ, setting them on the road to a more promising future. In this week’s episode, Sam shares his family’s story and what preaching in the U.S. and India has taught him about the true meaning of obedience, sacrifice, and redemption.

Show Notes

Additional Resources

Hope Givers website—hopegivers.org

Podcast—”Stories of Hope”

Timestamps

0:00  — Intro

2:33 — The Thomas family legacy in India

13:06 — What Sam has observed preaching in both India and the US

21:01 — Sam talks about Hope Givers’ work with orphaned street children

32:37 — Restoring the “missionary spirit” in the United States

37:19 — What does redemption mean to you?

Discussion

1. Looking back on your life, what’s the most you’ve ever risked or sacrificed to serve the Lord? Was it a material possession or an opportunity turned down, or something more abstract, like a public reputation or affiliation with a certain group? How hard was it to make that decision? Mark 8:35-36
2. How did it make you feel to hear Sam relate his stories of the hardships, and in many cases outright threats, his father and other family members faced to share the gospel with the people of India? Were you aware that such dangers and difficulties existed for Christians in other parts of the world, even places with which the U.S. has nominally “friendly” relationships?
3. How did Sam’s stories change your perspective on the challenges and hardships you face in your own life? Did those recollections make your challenges seem less frightening or insurmountable by comparison? Did they help break down any hesitance you might have felt toward more thoroughly devoting your life to God?
4. Discuss the statement with which Sam’s father ended a contentious phone call about Sam’s future: “God doesn’t need your money, He needs your life.” Are there any worthy charitable causes—including the church—that you have supported financially in the past, but turned down a request to give your time and effort? Why were you resistant to getting more personally involved?
5. Sam observes that many people insist on “understanding” God before they’re willing to be fully obedient to Him. Did you identify with that observation at all? What are the things you feel you need to understand about God before you’re willing to devote your life to Him?
6. In general, what would you say your attitude is toward the poor, the homeless, the exploited, the sick? If you’re being honest with yourself, have you sometimes taken the view that they’re responsible for their own predicaments, and used that as an excuse not to offer help? How much of a challenge is it for you to imagine yourself in their shoes? Proverbs 19:17, Matthew 25:35-36, 40