This weekend, I went to a fall retreat with the Perspective College Ministry on the University of Central Arkansas’ campus to Camp Wyldewood in Searcy, Arkansas. It was so fun! Jeremy Hambrice, a missionary to Papua New Guinea who spoke at chapel last week was our speaker for the weekend. He challenged us with what God’s word says about his heart for missions, how the world is realistically and what God’s work is for us to do. What is our purpose in God’s mission? Is he calling me to be part of that in a different way than I already am?
Hambrice analyzed scripture with us to see what God says about his heart for the nations.
In the very beginning of the Bible, Genesis 12:1-3 says. “The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God’s people come through the lineage of Abraham in the Bible. In this passage, God is making a covenant with him that a great nation will come from him and he will be blessed. What else does God say about the nations?
In the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20 says, “Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” Jesus tasks his disciples with this mission after he rose from the dead and before he would ascend into heaven. Through this, believers have been given a purpose to the mission for God’s kingdom. We are to share the gospel, make disciples and go wherever if he calls us. Isaiah 6:8 says, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking: Who will I send? Who will go for us? I said: Here I am. Send me.” Some people never hear the gospel or who Jesus is before they die. Their death should hurt us. How can they know about Jesus if we never tell them? That should convict us to live on mission every day and to never stop meditating on what God says about the nations.
In the end, every nation, tribe, and language will be represented in the body of Christ. Revelation 7:9-10 says, “After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” At this time, will you be able to look back and believe that you took advantage of the opportunities you had and what God was calling you to by telling people about Jesus? Have you answered the call? Today might be the day.
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