Wednesday, November 4
The Big Picture of Missions
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;” -- Revelation 7:9
Many Christians, particularly in the United States, have a very provincial view of Christianity and missions. Provincial means that we only see our only little province, our own little area, without seeing the big picture. The “Big Picture” is all of planet earth and the more than 6.75 billion people! There are over 3 billion people who belong to unreached people groups who need to be evangelized as their eternal destination depends on it!
In Revelation chapter seven we are given a glimpse of the heavenly throne of God. This is where many Christians over the years have misunderstood what is meant, as the Greek word translated as “nations” here is the word ethnos, which means a group of people with like culture and identity, which is far more than just a group of people living within a geographic boundary. We need to rethink missions: We’re not just to “go to France.” We are to go to France to reach the various people groups who live there!
Even in the United States it is clear that we have many different people groups. In heaven there will be people from every people group on earth! This is true unity in diversity: the gospel of Christ has the power to save each and every person it comes in contact with.
The questions we must ask ourselves are found in Romans 10:14-15, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Lord, please forgive us for neglecting to reach so many precious souls around this world.
Ask God to show you some unreached people groups that you can pray for daily.
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