Hello, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. We're in the Christmas season, and today I want to share a story that will give you an entirely new appreciation for what God did when He sent His Son into the world. It's a story about a tribe that celebrated treachery, practiced cannibalism, and admired Judas as the hero of the Gospels. And it's a story about how Christmas—the very heart of Christmas—became the key that unlocked their salvation.
I need to warn you—this episode is going to challenge you. It's going to disturb you. And I pray it's going to show you the power of the Gospel in a way you've never seen before.
Imagine a group of people who honor treachery as an ideal—the way we honor friendship, sacrifice, and loyalty. Imagine telling bedtime stories to your children, but instead of heroes like Daniel or David, the stories celebrate men who formed friendships with the express purpose of later betraying their friend so that they could be killed and eaten. They had a phrase for it: "to fatten with friendship for the slaughter."
Now imagine that it's your husband, or your father, or your son who has been not only killed by his enemies, but then roasted, eaten, and his skull used as a pillow by his murderer. Can we even begin to imagine such horror?
Now put yourself in this scenario: You are a missionary, sent by God to tell these headhunting, cannibalistic tribes that Jesus loves them. That God sent His Son to die for them. That His desire is for them to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. You share stories from the Bible, expecting some response. But there's nothing. They have no concept of God—only demons. They don't understand sacrifice or love or redemption.
And then you realize something absolutely chilling: The only person in any Bible story they relate to is Judas. In fact, they admire Judas because of his betrayal of Jesus. In their eyes, Judas did something brilliant—he fattened Jesus with friendship for the slaughter!
Friends, how do you share the Gospel with people who think the villain of the story is the hero?
Now here's what I need you to understand: This isn't fiction. This isn't ancient history. This describes the Sawi people—a tribe living in what was formerly Netherlands New Guinea, now part of Indonesia, known as West Papua. And this took place in the 1960s—within our parents' lifetime!
These were people so deeply entrenched in darkness that treachery was their highest value. Cannibalism was their practice. Violence was their way of life. And from a human perspective, they seemed completely unreachable with the Gospel.
But here's what I love about our God: He does not leave anyone alone, no matter how barbaric or scary their lifestyle may be. No matter how tightly Satan's grip seems around them. No one is lost to Him. There is no darkness too dark for the Gospel to penetrate.
According to current missions data, there are still over 7,400 unreached people groups in the world, representing about 3.3 billion people. And every single one of them—no matter how resistant, how violent, how seemingly impossible—matters to God.
Romans 1:16 says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." Everyone. Not just the easy ones. Not just the civilized ones. Everyone.
So God sent Don and Carol Richardson to the Sawi people. Don Richardson himself wrote these powerful words about what they were facing:
"It had taken nearly two thousand years for the message of that new value system to range from Galilee to the miasmal swamps of southwest New Guinea. On its way, that message had already challenged, engaged and conquered barbarity in many forms in the minds of millions of people, for it was an extremely mettlesome message. It was not cowed by earthly obstacles, for its strength was supernatural."
He continued: "The message would not back away from any form of darkness, for it was light itself! That message was the gospel of Jesus Christ. Its purpose was nonnegotiable—to persuade men from 'every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation' to repent and be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ."
But the Richardsons faced an impossible situation. The longer they stayed among the Sawi, the worse things seemed to get. Their presence had actually drawn multiple warring villages together—which only increased the violence and treachery between them. The situation was deteriorating rapidly.
Then, as Christmas approached in the early 1960s, full-scale tribal war broke out. The Richardsons were caught in the middle. Don and Carol seriously considered leaving. How could they continue? Their presence seemed to be making things worse, not better. The violence was escalating. People were dying.
But the Sawi didn't want the Richardsons to leave. They had come to value having these strange foreigners among them. So the tribal leaders did something remarkable—they called for peace negotiations.
And here's where the Christmas story intersects with the Sawi story in the most powerful way. During these peace negotiations—near Christmas—Don Richardson witnessed something that would change everything.
The only way to ensure lasting peace between warring Sawi tribes was if the tribes exchanged children—a son from one tribe for a son from another. A father would have to give up his own infant son to live permanently with the enemy tribe, and receive an enemy's son in return. As long as these peace children lived, there would be peace. The peace child was literally the embodiment of peace—purchased at the highest cost a parent could pay.
Don watched as a Sawi father made the agonizing decision to give up his own baby boy to secure peace. The scene was heartbreaking—a father holding his infant son, knowing he would never raise him, never see him grow up. The mother weeping as her child was placed into the arms of strangers who had been their enemies.
And in that moment, near Christmas, God opened Don's eyes. The Lord showed him how this cultural practice was a perfect picture—a redemptive analogy—of what Christmas is really about: God the Father gave up His own Son to make peace between God and humanity!
This is the heart of Christmas! John 3:16—"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." God didn't just send a message. He sent His Son. He gave Him up. He placed His beloved child into the hands of His enemies—that's us—to secure eternal peace.
Finally, the Richardsons had a way to communicate the Gospel that the Sawi could understand! They began to teach: "God is like the greatest Father. And humanity—all of us—we were His enemies because of our sin. There was war between us and God. But God loved us so much that He gave His own Son, Jesus, as the ultimate Peace Child. Jesus came to live among His enemies. And as long as Jesus lives, there is peace between God and man."
Friends, when the Sawi heard this, everything changed! Suddenly the Gospel made sense in their cultural framework. They understood sacrifice in a way that most comfortable Western Christians never will. They understood what it cost God the Father to give up His Son. They understood the permanence of peace purchased through the Peace Child.
And here's what absolutely amazes me: The same people who had celebrated Judas's betrayal now understood why Jesus's death was different. Jesus wasn't fattened for slaughter—He was given willingly by the Father as the Peace Child. And anyone who harms the Peace Child destroys the peace. Suddenly, Judas wasn't a hero—he was the ultimate betrayer of the most sacred thing in their worldview.
The light had penetrated the darkness, and the darkness could not overcome it! Tribe members began to come to faith in Christ. The practice of cannibalism stopped. The cycles of violence and treachery began to break. Enemies became brothers. Darkness gave way to light.
According to more recent reports, the Sawi tribe today is predominantly Christian. They've translated Scripture into their own language. They have their own pastors and churches. And some Sawi believers have even become missionaries to other unreached tribes in Papua!
Friends, the cannibals became missionaries! The people who celebrated treachery now celebrate Jesus!
Don Richardson's prayer so beautifully expresses the wonder of what God did: "I thank You, my Father, for laying the groundwork for our ministry to these people. The Sawi were strangers to our Judeo-Christian heritage, yet You so providentially ordained these redemptive analogies within their culture ages ago, so that one day we would find and use them for Your glory."
He continued: "As You prepared the Hebrews and the Greeks, so also the Sawi were not too insignificant or too pagan to receive this much of Your providence. I see now more than ever why You are called the God of wisdom and the God of love and the God of power. I praise You!"
Friends, this is why the Sawi story is ultimately a Christmas story. Christmas isn't just about a baby in a manger. It's about a Father giving His Son. It's about the ultimate Peace Child being sent into enemy territory. It's about God paying the highest price possible to make peace with us.
When you celebrate Christmas this year, remember the Sawi. Remember that the same truth that transformed cannibals who admired Judas is the truth we celebrate every December. God gave His Son. The Father made the agonizing sacrifice. Jesus became the Peace Child who secures eternal peace for all who receive Him.
And remember that there are still people groups out there who need to hear this message in a way they can understand. God has placed redemptive analogies in their cultures too—bridges to the Gospel just waiting to be discovered. The question is: Will we go? Will we learn? Will we find the keys God has hidden?
Let me share five powerful lessons from this story. First, no one is unreachable. If God could reach the Sawi—cannibals who celebrated treachery—He can reach anyone.
Second, God prepares cultures before missionaries arrive. He embeds redemptive analogies that can become bridges to the Gospel.
Third, cultural understanding is essential for effective evangelism. Don Richardson couldn't have reached the Sawi without deeply learning their language and practices.
Fourth, the Gospel is powerful enough to transform the darkest darkness. His light is stronger than any evil.
Fifth, transformed people become transformers. The Sawi didn't just receive the Gospel—they became carriers of it to other tribes.
And friends, the need is still urgent. Indonesia has over 700 people groups, and more than 200 are still unreached. Worldwide, there are over 3.3 billion people in unreached people groups. Many have practices that seem incompatible with Christianity. Many appear impossible to reach. But God has redemptive analogies waiting to be discovered in every culture. He's already prepared the way.
Merry Christmas, friends. May you celebrate the ultimate Peace Child this season—and may His peace transform your life as it transformed the Sawi.
Until next time, remember—keep your eyes on the nations, and know that there is no darkness too dark for the Gospel to penetrate.
You can listen to this as a podcast at Spotify podcast
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