“Thank You, Lord Jesus, for You are calling Your church, to be instruments in Your hands, for the nations and all of creation to be restored to You. We must be a part of Your concern. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
Acts 2:5 “And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven”. We have seen that the disciples were gathered in oneness at the time of Pentecost. At this time, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and with power. They began to speak in other tongues. We now see how this experience was a part of God’s agenda to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. There were gathered in Jerusalem, at this time, devout Jews from every nation under heaven. The timing of God was perfect, for God was bringing about a movement of the Gospel.
When we understand the ways of God, we will recognise that God brings about opportunities to the church, to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. If we are not in tune with the agenda of God, we will not recognise these opportunities and they will pass us by. Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. God is reconciling man and creation back to Himself. Creation is groaning for the creation is waiting for the revealing of the sons of God. Since creation will be delivered alongside the liberation of man. (Romans 8:19-22) When man is restored back to God, we can once again take up our place as the vice-regents of God. God created us in Their image so that we will have dominion over all His creation. When we sinned, we broke our relationship with God and our alienation from God, caused the cascading effect that creation is in bondage. Therefore, the Gospel message is for man and all of creation. The mandate for His church is huge. We are being filled with His Holy Spirit to give utterance of the things of God, to all of creation.
Colossians 1:19-20 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, (20) and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. The cross of Jesus Christ is, therefore, pivotal and central in the plan of God. It is through the message of His cross that we see God reconciling man and creation back to Himself. When we consign the message of the Gospel, only to our personal salvation, then we are limiting the plan of God. God is reconciling all things on earth and things in heaven, to Himself, through His cross. The church must see herself as a part of the agenda of God.
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. The Gospel is being preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations. Men and women of God, all over the world, filled with the Holy Spirit are giving form and substance to the message of God. Romans 10:17-18 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (18) But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” The sound of His church, which is giving form and articulation to the pain of God’s heart, will go out to the ends of the earth. People will then exercise faith by hearing the message of God through His church. This work that took place, at this time, in Jerusalem was so beautifully connected with how the Gospel was reaching the ends of the earth. The people in Colossae were one of those who benefited because of the move of God. Colossians 1:5-6 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, (6) which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
This is what Peter and John told the Sanhedrin, the apex body of the Jewish leadership. Acts 4:10-12 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. (11) This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ (12) Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” We will tell the world, that it is through the name of Jesus and Jesus alone that man and creation will be saved. We must all be one in this stand of His church. We are going to face more and more opposition, telling us that we should not preach or share the message of Jesus in our nations.
We must determine right now, that whatever the governments of the world may tell His church, we will say, “We will obey God in this matter, for it is only through the name of Jesus that man and creation will be saved.” This is the mandate of His church.